The Collinsport Chronicle XX: Laura Murdock
by Maryland Rose
Summary: Laura has come claim David for his mate, and demands the sacrifice of Willie's unborn child. Barnabas tries desperately to protect them both.
1. Chapter 1

Salamanders, Laura Murdocks' servants almost tricked Louella into sacrificing her unborn child. Now the Loomises are under siege from them, as well as David who is the object of Laura's desire as both the son and great grandson of a phoenix. They holed up in the same dwelling with Barnabas, Julia, and Oriana. In the meantime the salamanders have seduced both Hallie Stokes and Frank Torrance to carry out Laura's schemes.

* * *

LAURA MURDOCK

Chapter 1

"Do you think this will be safe enough?" Willie asked Oriana in between hammerings.

"Well, you can never be too sure. After all, even if the place isn't heated by a log fire, all electrical appliances, in one way or another, have the potential for fire."

"And through them Laura can get at us." Willie shivered at the mention of the danger menacing them. "She wants both David and Louella, and will not stop until she gets both of them. Or.."

"Or Barnabas manages to stop her."

"I dunno." Willie confessed "I want to believe that he can do it. But when I think of the power that Laura has..."

"Priscilla seems to believe that he is up to it."

"Who is this Priscilla?"

"Barnabas' first wife."

"You mean before Angelique?"

"Yes."

Willie shook his head and went on to hammer yet another protective sign on the wall. Angelique had given them many of these. And while Anselm Trask had offered his help, they had to refuse, because all he could offer were crosses, to which Laura was immune and Barnabas wasn't. He also had Holy Water, but it was no more effective than the regular kind. Seeing how little he could do had left him saddened and pensive.

Willie shook his head unhappily. "Do you know what Louella told me about the way Barnabas got me out of there?"

"What, specifically?" Oriana was trying to keep in mind the ritual of 'blessing with water' that Angelique had taught her. The problem was that it was difficult to get the right pronunciation for Ancient Egyptian.

"Laura had separated the two of us. I was unconscious, lying there, and Barnabas was holding Louella. So Laura stood in front of me and threatened to burn me unless Barnabas handed her Louella. Then she extended her arms and became a cross of fire. Barnabas couldn't even look at her now. Yet he dived in and got me out. I don't know how he could have done it. According to what I have been told, he could not have come anywhere near me. Yet he did."

"He cares a lot for you. Never discount the power of love."

It was difficult to say it... You did not love other men. You might like them, be friends with them. But not love. Not unless you were a fag.

But what Barnabas had done for him was too strong to be described as friendship. It was love. Not sexual love. There had been never anything to that outside of Quentin's dirty mind. But there was a bond between them that made all other words inadequate.

"I think that you are the son he never had. I will not say that you are the most important person in the world for him, but it comes close."

Willie nodded "When I think of how much I owe him... of how much we have come through together."

"He owes you much, too."

"He owes me?"

"You got him out of that coffin, didn't you?"

"Yeah" he drove the last nail home and came down from the ladder "Well, I think that this will do it. For a while. But until Julia gets the answer out of David too many things can happen."

"David is the key to all this. Somehow, he knows the way to defeat her. But Julia has to dig it out. and until then, we are all sitting ducks. Sure, Buffy's locked up, but there are others out there. Laura must be recruiting new ones right now."

Nervously, Willie played with the charms hanging from his neck. The charms depicted the ancient Egyptian symbol for water. Everyone wore charms around his or her neck (except for the cats, that Barnabas had not wanted to leave behind.). Willie derived some comfort from the charm, even if he wasn't completely sure as to how much protection if offered.

"I hope this place does not burn up. Chris would not forgive us for it."

"It is just another risk we have to run."

Willie looked at the coffin tucked in the corner of the room, with several protective symbols on it.

"I can't get out of my mind that he dived into a cross of fire... tell me, why should a cross control him? he touched his charm. "It can understand this controlling Laura. Water puts out fire. I can understand silver and werewolves. There is such thing as an allergic reaction. It does not involve any moral judgment. But why the cross? We know what that means. Can you honestly say that it applies in any way to Barnabas?"

"Maybe it has another specific meaning." Oriana offered.

"Like what?" Willie protested. "Well, maybe it is only psychosomatic. Like the way he suffered from psychosomatic impotence for a long time... It was a big shock to him, when the curse caught him. He just did not know what to do... In fact, he should have come down with a lot more quirks than he has."

"You care for him a lot."

"Yes."

"Do you want a cup of coffee now?"

"Yes.:" Willie sighed deeply; "This seems to be the solution to all problems. Have a cup of coffee."

* * *

Buffy beat her hands against the padded wall. They had no right to keep her here! She did not belong here!

She dug her nails into the padding. There must be a way out of here. They could not keep her forever!

"Dirk!" she called "Dirk! Where are you? Dirk, help me!"

* * *

"You can relax David." Julia said.

David tried, with little success.

"Relax" Julia insisted.

"I can't"

"Why can't you?"

A shiver ran through David's body. "The last time we tried that I almost killed you"

Julia laughed "The last time, you were a werewolf. And all you did was tear my coat."

"If Barnabas had not left his cane behind I would have."

Julia sighed deeply. David had been taking stubbornness lessons lately.

"Do you realize how dangerous the situation is?" she asked harshly.

"I know it."

"Then please stop worrying about that werewolf curse and concentrate on your mother."

"My mother." he growled "I do not have a mother like other people."

"I know. But complaining about it does not help. Remembering does..."

She wondered why Barnabas did not do the interrogating... but no, she knew why. Pressured by Barnabas to give answers, David was likely to tell Barnabas what Barnabas wanted to hear, not the truth...

* * *

Janet Harkin rested her head on his chest, her red hair falling all over his body.

"How beautiful are you, Janet."

She was there, this beautiful woman, every night, in his bed. Always willing, always pliable to his every wish.

"You area beautiful" he repeated. He put his hands to her hair and caressed it.

"It is fire," he said. "Your hair is made of fire."

"All of me is fire."

"Yes. You are. How come I can hold you in my arms and not be burned?"

"Because we love each other."

He kissed her again. She was a salamander, a fire nymph.

Why not? He had loved a witch and a vampire. Neither of them had loved him back, while this fire girl was utterly devoted to him.

"Will you stay with me?"

"You have served Laura well, and she is grateful"

"If I fail, will she take you away?"

She kissed him. "Do not think of it. You will not fail her."

* * *

"We got a letter from Chris Jennings" Louella told Barnabas.

"I hope that he isn't saying that he is coming back and that we better clear out of here quick." he looked at Louella with concern. "Are you sure you feel all right?"

"Yes. I do. But I feel terrible about causing all this.

"We should have known that something was wrong." he put his hand on her shoulder "There is nothing wrong about being ambivalent about your child. It is very common."

Louella muttered under her breath.

"And chin up. we have seen worse trouble, and we made it."

The tore open the letter and began to read.

"...In a nutshell, I won't be coming back to Collinsport yet. I got myself a temporary job down here, which may become permanent. The pay is decent, and it looks great on my resume. Best of all, I no longer have to spend winters in Maine. You won't believe how warm this place is. Can you imagine that they do not know what snow tires are?

Amy's doing well in school and has a new boyfriend. I think that he is something of a schlemiel, but after David I should not complain. I wonder what Pete would say if he knew more about his prospective brother-in-law..

We live by the beach. It is beautiful And the seashells we can pick up are very different from the ones back home. Maybe Elsa would want to see them.

And now for the bombshell. Sabrina's pregnant. She did it by artificial insemination. We are getting divorced, by the way. I worry about the kid, though.

Sandy sends her love. So does Amy. Take care of yourself and write soon.

Chris."

Barnabas smiled...that Sabrina... somehow seemed fitting.

But the best news was that they could keep using the house.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Frank found Hallie standing over him as he woke. "What are you doing here?" he asked.

"Where else can I be? I am supposed to be out of town."

"You couldn't have stayed with them, of course."

"Of course. They have the place full of protective amulets. And then they could discover my scarab."

"Yeah, you are right." Frank acknowledged, no happy about it.

Hallie knew why Frank was out of sorts. He was besotted with he salamander that Laura had given her, and he thought that with Hallie there, he could not enjoy himself as he wished.

Frank, like Buffy, all he had asked of Laura was a willing and exciting bed partner. That he had got. That, and nothing else.

"They are all holed up in there. Barnabas is the only one who goes out, had he brings in the supplies."

"Barnabas has to go out every night for a very basic reasons. He has to feed." Hallie said pointedly "We can lay a trap for him then."

"There is also the problem of Angelique." Frank added. "She is not with them, but provides protection from the outside. We will have to deal with her."

"Yes. But first deal with Barnabas."

* * *

"Well" David got up from the couch "another wasted session yet."

"No, we made progress."

"Come on, Julia You know we got nowhere. It is not that I don't try. It is just that I seem to have this block."

"According to Priscilla, this is the way to do it. And that's all we have to work on.,"

* * *

Priscilla stood in front of him, her eyes flinty.

"Priscilla..." he began to say.

"No, Barnabas, don't say it." she cut him off " I will not have you commiserating over me. There was a time for it, and you missed it."

He shook his head sadly "So much has happened since."

"Yes. So much has happened. But not to me. You will stop Laura, won't you? That's the only way I will be free."

"I will. But you have to tell me more about her. I need to know it."

"All you need to know, you have to ask David.. He has the answers."

"Is there anything else? Anything I can do for you?"

"What could there be? Just free me."

* * *

"Angelique come here." Megan called her.

"What do you need? I am now busy with the protection for Barnabas and the others."

"It has to do with that protection. Come. I have to tell you something."

He took Angelique by the arms and stared into her eyes. It was somethiing that should have been said between her and Angelique. She had said it before, but argument would not help. Angelique needed to be forced to accept some simple truths. She put all her power of hypnosis on Angelique and began telling her the facts of life.

"Angelique you must _not_ doubt yourself. You must _not_ let past guilts paralyze you."

"I do not..."

"I have seen you do it That's how Tom Jennings got the drop on you. And now you cannot afford it. Laura is too powerful. And she is too evil for you to doubt your own goodness. Laura Murdock... Do you know what her last name comes from?"

"Murdock...Baal Marduk?

"Yes. Also known as Baal Moloch, the one to whom children were sacrificed. Children burned alive. That is what Laura is. And this is what you have to defeat."

"I know.."

"You know it in your mind. But in your heart... in your heart you still ache for the evil things you did in the past, and you wonder if you have any right to judge her... do not deny it, Angie. You have done it before, and will do it again. But not now. "

She bent over Angelique's throat and bit it, drawing blood, and forming a strong bond.

"Take my certainty with you. For this fight, do not doubt. If you falter, take my strength. "

"Yes I will."

"You know there is a channel between us. Use it to draw strength from me when you need it. Angelique, if you are attacked during the day, draw on my life force to keep you strong. Return it to me when you are done, but when you need it, _use it_."

* * *

"Well, what do you think of our little commune?" Barnabas tried to be cheerful around the others, specially Julia.

"I don't know for how much longer we can take this," Julia grumbled. "I don't see why I can't stay on the outside."

"Because Laura can get to you that way. We must assume that she can get to anyone."

"Nonsense!"

"You are tired, Julia. You area impatient. And you know better than this."

"Who's going to run Wyncliffe?"

"Evans seems capable enough."

"Capable and related to Maggie."

"That is not his fault."

"I will not say that she rammed him down my throat, but in the end he got the job because he is her cousin."

"He's also a good doctor."

"You say that, because he's into B.F. Skinner too."

Barnabas picked up a cat that was unwilling to give up his seat and stroked it.

"Is it really Wyncliffe that irritates you?"

"No. Damn you. You think that it is fun listening to you and Oriana in the bed, and to Willie and Louella cuddling, while I have to sleep all alone?"

"You miss Kenneth.."

"And being confined to quarters, without the chance to go out for fresh air. And with nothing to do but watch TV and knit."

"There's Louella to take care of... And you can pretend you are on vacation. "

"This is not a vacation. This is prison. What do you suggest we do?"

"You can catch up on your reading... I can bring books and magazines. or... that is even better. I got a long list of Amnesty International's prisoners of conscience. You can all sit down and write letters on their behalf.."

"Great idea!" her sarcasm was dripping acid.

"David can study, and Willie can do odd jobs. You can try your hand at cooking..."

"Or I can try taking you apart with a blunt nail file."

* * *

Delia heated herself some soup.

"I would invite you for some" she told Derek icily "but we know that it is no use."

Derek sat down

"It is not the soup, it is sitting together and talking."

"So I am the one who cuts you out? I thought that it was the other way around."

So it was. He had refused to take her as a partner in her deep diving project. And she had not forgive him for it. Nor for choosing Buffy as a partner in that crazy scheme with the horses. Never mind that she thought those were crazy ideas, both of them. She wanted to be part of it.

Eventually he left. And she went back to her bedroom, and uncoiled the whip.

The electricity she felt in touching it surprised her. The whip was alive... And she felt alive touching it...

* * *

Frances Jackson fed her cat. it looked at her, mewling with an expression that in a human would be called wistfulness.

"Yes, Tuffy, I understand." she stroked it behind the ears, listening to it purr. It was a handsome cat, with little in him of the starving kitten that had come begging at her door less than a year ago.

The knock at the door pulled her away from Tuffy.

It was Hallie Stokes.

"Ms. Jackson? I want to talk to you. No one knows that I am back in town. I know that you are close to Barnabas...

Tuffy arched its back and hissed.

"Not, Tuffy, no" Frances calmed it "What's your problem, Miss Stokes?"

"I was not very gracious with him. It wasn't my fault. it was a shock to...to find out about him."

Something warned Frances about her, but it was a vague feeling that she could find no reasons for.

"I see that you got a stove instead of a fireplace" Hallie said, almost absentmindedly "It was because of the fireplace that the Loomises' house burned you know."

"Yes, but..."

Tuffy jumped off Frances' arms, ran to a corner, and there hissed to Hallie.

"I can't understand." Frances said "she never does that."

"Maybe he senses why I am here." Hallie pulled out her gun and pointed it towards Frances "Don't make me shoot you."

"Miss Stokes..."

"Don't argue. Turn around. You are one of Barnabas'...sources, are you now? Sooner or later he'll come to you."

It took Frances a split second to understand Hallie's meaning and another to try to react to it. Hallie just hit her across the base of the neck with the gun, making her collapse.

"I know that you won't do this willingly" she said, dragging her towards the stove. "But Laura can handle that."

She waited until Frances had somewhat come to, then pushed Frances' face towards the flames "Watch the fire" she ordered Frances.

Frances screamed and squirmed, trying unsuccessfully to get up again.

"Keep watching. This way." Hallie's voice became monotonous as she pushed Frances' face closer and closer to the fire. "It is pretty, isn't it? All those bright colors, And warm and comfortable...

Frances noted with surprise that, close as she was to the flames, she felt no pain The flames touched her cheeks several times harmlessly. It was lighter than thistledown on her skin, softer than spider webs...

"Do you see her? Isn't she beautiful? She cares for you, Frances. She can give you so much...

Frances' eyelids began to sag. She felt herself sinking...sinking...

"Do you see her, Frances? Do you want to serve her?"

Benumbed, Frances nodded.

"Her name is Laura. Repeat it, Frances."

"Lau...Lau...Laura."

"And you'll do whatever she asks of you."

Frances nodded.

"Say it."

"I...I will do whatever she asks me to do."

"Even to the death of Barnabas Collins."

Frances said nothing.

"Say that, Frances. Say: Even to the death of Barnabas Collins."

Frances shook her head.

The fire brightened, enveloping her head, hiding it... and the pain began.

"Say it Frances." Hallie insisted.

Frances enveloped in flames still managed to shake her head, as the pain mounted.

Then she was still.

"Say it, Frances."

"Even... Even to the death of Barnabas Collins."

The fire pulled back from her, leaving her unscathed, except for the small flames dancing behind her eyes now.

""You are one of us now," Hallie said "You should wear this."

And saying this, she hung a scarab from Frances' neck.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Frances waited by the window, trying to find the bat against the sky.

He would come to her. Sooner or later. And when he did... She clutched the wooden knife that she wore next to her skin. She knew what she had to do. Wait until he put his arms around her, place it against his heart, and push.'

She shivered. It was what she had to do. She would do it.

She hoped he went to someone else...

* * *

Xavier offered Frank some Granola.

"What is it that we have done wrong this time?" he asked sarcastically "I can't wait for the next Administration to start cutting your wings."

"Well, Carter is still in office, and I keep on doing my job."

Xavier shrugged. Let Torrance have a little more fun. Soon he would be singing a different tune.

"And anyway, don't be too overjoyed. The policy now is going to encourage growth in the Sunbelt. As for us, up here, we can go jump in the latke."

"I don't need their help" Xavier grumbled.

"You got here because of a government grant that Barnabas finagled out of Ms. Evans. You might need another soon."

Xavier grumbled again.

Frank took hold of himself. He had not come to discuss politics, but to arrange to have Angelique taken care of. And for that he was going to need Xavier's help.

"All right." he said "that's not why I came here." he moved towards the fireplace as if to warm his hands.

"So, why did you come?"

"I have a proposition for you. One that will make things easier for you in the future, not only with my agency, but with all other problems you might have, of any kind."

"Any problems." Xavier said ironically "and you plan to do that all by yourself?"

"Not by myself alone."

"And how much is that going to cost me? Well, it is good to know that you are not incorruptible, after all."

Frank stood with his back to the flames, as they glowed stronger. "I have grown... wiser." he said "so can you."

"Who are your new friends? The Mob?"

"No." Frank stuck his hand real close to the fire.

"Who, then? A bunch of new guys?"

"New?" Frank laughed "No, they are not new at all."

In spite of his contemptuous words , Xavier was tempted. All his problems solved, like that...

He stared at Frank, his mouth curving despectively, couldn't hide the yearning look in his eyes. Frank decided that Xavier was ready for it.

He moved his hand over the flame, and when he took it out there was fire growing out of his palm.

"Look at this, Mr. Davenport. You'll find the answers to your problems here."

Xavier stared, his mouth open, at the flame coming out harmlessly from Frank's hand.

"How do you do that?" he asked.

"Never mind. Watch it. You'll find the answers here."

So Xavier stared. All his problems, solved like that... He knew that he should protest, but didn't.

Instead he kept his eyes on the flame, listening to the murmur that grew out of it.

Then the flames died, leaving only a small object in Frank's palm.

"You understand what must be done." Frank said.

"Yes."

"Are you willing to do it?"

"Yes."

"Then wear this, as token of your promise.

Xavier took the scarab from Frank's hand and hung it around his neck.

"You will not regret it, Mr. Davenport."

* * *

Alma Quarles had a fireplace, Hallie noticed. It would make things easier than with Frances.

She had to work on as many of Barnabas' sources as she could. Unlike Frank with Davenport, he could not hope to lure Barnabas to where she wanted. She had to even the odds this way, instead.

Alma came back into the room with mugs of hot chocolate.

"I don't understand why you ask me not to tell Barnabas that you are here, but if that is what you want..."

"It is difficult for me. Quite awkward."

"I know how it is... I mean, you had no inkling when you came in. We are used to it, and we forget what a shock it is to find out for the first time. Elsa, bless her, she's accepted him without worrying a bit."

"How's Elsa doing, by the way."

"Growing up very fast, Lord, how time flies. I hope that she will settle down a bit. Act more like an adult."

"She'll have to be a teenager first."

"Ugh! Don't remind me!"

The fire crackled gently, making a soothing sound.

"It is tough being a mother, isn't it?" Hallie said sympathetically.

"If I knew what I was getting myself into... Not that Elsa has not been a joy to me. But she can be a trial."

"Is it true that she stuck needles in Barnabas?"

"Yes. And that's not the worst. Every winter I think that she will join Davenport's Polar Bears. I don't know how he does it. Just watching him gives me goose bumps."

"He's crazy, that Davenport. In winter you are supposed to stay inside, where it is warm."

Joining words to action, Hallie moved to the fireplace "It is beautiful."

"Yes. You don't have a fireplace where you live?"

"No. Central heating?" I didn't know how beautiful a fireplace can be. Look at those flames, at those color, how they reach up and glow."

"Yes, it is beautiful." Alma agreed.

She stared at the flames. For some reason she felt compelled to watch them. She heard Hallie talk, but couldn't understand what she was saying. She answered, but could not hear her own words.

"Alma?" Hallie asked.

"Yes."

Hallie put her hand in front of Alma's eyes. She didn't blink.

"You are one of us now, aren't you?"

Alma nodded.

"You'll do anything that we ask of you."

Alma nodded again.

Hallie took out the scarab pendant and dangled it in front of Alma's eyes.

"Even to the death of Barnabas Collins?"

Alma flinched imperceptibly.

"Even to the death of Barnabas Collins?" Hallie insisted, bringing the scarab close to Alma's face.

"Yes... even to the death of Barnabas Collins."

"Good. Wear this now."

* * *

"You understand that you must not blame Louella" Julia said.

"Yeah" Willie was more irritated than convinced. He wanted to get out of another of Dr. Hoffman's in depth sessions. He'd rather write twenty more letters for prisoners of conscience than listen to her... He understood that Julia needed something to do.. But why him?

"She was unable to express her self-doubts and misgivings. about her pregnancy, and that brought disaster."

"But why should she have misgiving?" he asked against his best judgment. "After all, she wanted this child."

Julia rejoiced. Now she could give off a long explanation as to why expectant mothers can and will feel ambivalent about their children, specially if it is their first one, and why it would be unrealistic expect that they did not have them.

"It is a long story, Willie. But since we have so much free time, we can go over it."

Willie kicked himself inwardly. He had asked for this...

* * *

Frances seemed to be sleeping when he came in. He wondered whether to awaken her or not. He ordinarily would not, respecting her need for sleep, but this time Frances had fallen asleep, full dressed, on the sofa.

So he touched her face until her eyes opened.

"Barnabas" she said.

"Yes, it is me." he smiled apologetically "you should go to bed."

"I will" she touched her throat. "did you?"

"Not yet." She shivered. It was a going to happen, then. She had hoped to avoid this, but she could not.

He noticed her nervousness. "If you'd rather I didn't do it today.."

"No." she lied "it has nothing to do with you."

Her hands found the wooden knife she carried under her clothes and pressed herself against him. She shifted, not noticeably, just to place the point over his heart.

She had to give it a shove, once. Laura would give her the strength.

Her hand clasped the handle - have done - she told herself - do it quickly, and he won't even know what happened.

He realized that something was wrong. She was never this tense..

Why couldn't she do it? Why? One push. One small push. No more was needed... the chain from which the scarab hung was burning her neck.

She couldn't... not to him... not this way.

Barnabas felt her become rigid, heard the strangled sob.

He pulled away from her throat and as he stepped back he saw the knife in her hand.

"Frances?"

"I can't! I can't do it!" she screamed, pulling at the chain at her neck, while she fell to her knees.

"Frances!"

She was now on the floor, screaming, twisting, the chain at her neck glowing red.

He pulled at it, and saw the scarab, but before he could touch it, it dissolved into smoke.

Frances shrieked.

The fire on the stove shot out angrily at him. And then Frances' hair was on fire.

He wrapped the head quickly, trying to smother the flames, but knew that it would be useless against Laura's anger. He raced to the kitchen and held Frances' head under the water.

Frances kept screaming, even after the flames had been extinguished. He was powerless to stop her pain. He held her close to him, still somehow trying to protect her.

Knowing that he risked pneumonia with her wet hair, he went into the snow with her.

"Priscilla" he begged "tell me what to do."

Frances was now moaning, and had stopped struggling. There were traces of the fire on her forehead, and she still smelled of burned hair. But the worst was over.

Laura had no power in the cold. That's why Priscilla could meet him and warn him.

But she could not stay here in the cold. She needed protection.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Willie cursed as he stumbled "Why don't you watch where you leave your things?" he asked David angrily.

Without a word, David picked up the book.

"This isn't a dorm, you know." Willie continued his tirade "This is a house and people live in it! You could try cooperating a bit!"

"I cooperate!" David retorted "At least I am not underfoot most of the time!"

"You do nothing but hang around!"

"And what do you suggest I do? Make a pest of myself and get on people's nerves the way you do?"

"This thing is your fault!" Willie grumbled "You and your mother!"

"You didn't have to get involved. You just pushed Louella so that she is now in trouble. You would not need to be here if you had not acted like an idiot with her!"

Willie closed his fists "You take that back!"

"This thing is your fault!"

Willie began swinging his fists "Take that back, I say!"

David put up his own fists "You want a fight, don't you?"

"Yeah, rich kid! I am going to teach you a thing or two.!

He hit David. David hit him back. He hit again, and again he was hit. He stumbled, recovered and began pressing David. A hard blow made him stagger. David hit him again, making him fall over a chair.

He picked up the chair and waved it towards David. David rolled on the floor and caught his legs, making him fall.

They rolled around on the floor, knocking the furniture down.

"Are you crazy, you two?" Oriana shouted at them "Stop, do you hear! Stop!"

She shrugged. Screaming would do nothing. She had to take more drastic measures. Luckily she knew what they were and applied them.

"There, maybe now we will have some peace and quiet."

Julia came to see what the commotion was.. She looked at her disapprovingly.

"Did you have to do that?" she said, looking at the unconscious bodies.

"Had to make them stop. A friend of mine taught me some blackjacking and..."

"A friend? How close a friend?"

"Close enough" Oriana shrugged " Julia, let's not start fighting like these two."

"Yes, you are right" Julia calmed herself "It is just that being shut up with each other like this... it gets to you. I might have to start passing Valium around."

* * *

Angelique looked at the stove with fear. Any place that produced heat or light could serve as a conduit for Laura. Even contained in electrical wires, it could open the door to the invasion... And that could be the beginning of the end.

She had defeated Laura once, she reminded herself. And there was no electricity then... True, Laura was in human form, and her powers were contained then. But _she had defeated her_ once.

She felt the wound in her throat throb. Megan would not let her be lost in defeatist thoughts. It was because of those thoughts and feelings of worthlessness that Tom Jennings had got the drop on her. She must be strong, and never doubt the rightness of her cause.

The thoughts came to me. What chance did she have against Laura? What were Louella Loomis and David to her? Barnabas would not love her, no matter what she did. Why not leave Collinsport? Why not spend Sky's money? Why not find a new man?...

She laughed. So that's how Laura wanted to break her resolve.

"No such luck, Laura" she said. "And you fear me, or you would not do this."

She then turned to Barnabas and the injured Frances, to tend to her, and to tell Barnabas what he should do.

* * *

"The woman failed." Janet said to Frank.

"What woman? Who failed?"

"Frances Jackson did not kill Barnabas. And now Barnabas knows what we have done, and will not make himself vulnerable again."

Failure. the fear ran through him. He knew what failure meant. Buffy locked up in Wyncliffe, calling for Dirk, who would never come for her.

If he failed, he would never see Janet again.

"It wasn't me who failed. It was Hallie Stokes. She was the one who recruited Frances Jackson and the others. She should not have approached the Jackson woman. I warned her not to..."

"Enough. Laura knows who was responsible. Just don't fail on Angelique's death."

* * *

"It scares me, Julia." Barnabas held Frances' hand. "the way they got to her."

"You know what this means?" Julia asked softly.

"They can get to anyone."

"And the next time you might get killed. You can't trust anyone. You must feed some other way, some way that does not put you in this kind of danger."

"I guess I can go hunting in the woods. I did that on the first days after Willie released me. Animal blood is not the best, but it will do." he looked at Frances again. "How's she?"

"Her pulse is steady. She should be recovering nicely, even if this place isn't precisely a hospital. She should have a nurse."

"We don't have one, but between Louella and Oriana they can manage. That will give them something to do. Better than Valium."

Julia shook her head in exasperation. "I know what you think about Valium, and those who dispense it as if it was water. But in this case, nothing else will do. the main problem is two men with nothing to do."

"David should study. And Willie, there are still repairs to be made. And I'll bring in a new batch of Amnesty International letters later on."

"I will still give them pills." Julia said.

* * *

"Do not forsake me Oh, my darling. On this our wedding day.,.."

Oriana knew that this was the tenth song that she had sung today. She also knew that the others did not appreciate her efforts. In fact, the groans coming from Willie told her that she'd better stop her recital.

And since Willie now had a headache due to her blackjacking, she ought to accommodate him.

"You enjoy doing this?" Willie asked.

"Yes. I like to sing."

"I mean, getting on our nerves."

"I didn't realize I had."

"I guess that to you this is fun. An adventure."

"Willie, I know that you are upset..."

"Of course, I am upset! This is my wife and baby that we are talking about! And all I can do is sit here, doing nothing!"

"I know. I feel the same way, even if I have some writing to do."

"That's something else. That typewriter of yours is too damn noisy.

"I will try to type less. Come, if you want to do something useful, how about helping me dry the dishes?"

"That's women's work." Willie muttered.

"Male chauvinist pig" Oriana said, without rancor.

* * *

Frances seemed a bit better now, but still held to Barnabas' hand.

"She looks so much like Vicky did." Barnabas could not keep from remarking.

"It is nowhere as serious. She is a lot more responsive than Vicky was. Barnabas, why not leave her now? there is little more than you can do for her, and you haven't fed yet. If you are going to be hunting game, you better give yourself a head start."

"Not yet." he stroked Frances' forehead. "She could have killed me so easily. She had the knife in her hand. She could just have pushed it in. But she disobeyed Laura for my sake, and I could not protect her."

"I hope you are not feeling guilty again."

"I can't help it. She always trusted me. And now..."

"Think of how much worse she'd feel if she had not disobeyed."

"But why should she suffer at all?"

"Because Laura wants to get to you and what better way than this? You are always alone with your... source, and in close physical contact. What better set-up can you ask for? You are lucky it was her. Someone else might not have hesitated."

"Yes." Barnabas acknowledged. "Still..."

"Seems like old times." Julia mused "Remember the first time you called me about her? She had taken too many pills and you asked me what to do."

"And you asked me what did I care, anyway."

"I was so hurt, still..."

"Yes. You were. Are you still?"

"It is all over now."

"No. It isn't. I have got through that myself, and I know how it goes. You think that you are free of it, and suddenly it jumps inside you." he took her face in his hands. "Are you resenting me again?"

"No. That is over."

"You will resent me. And the circumstances we are in will make it a lot worse. You saw what happened between Willie and David. We might end up like that. Don't be ashamed to admit it."

"I am still in control of myself."

"If you feel that you are losing it, tell me."

"And what would you do, then?"

"Talk about it. Let you slap me around. We'll figure out something. Jut let me know. don't try to be noble or brave about it. The situation is too dangerous for that."

* * *

"Mrs. Rumsen?""

"Yes. This is she" Angelique said, then recognized the voice "Mr. Davenport?"

"Yes. It is me. Would you mind coming to my office? There is some business that I want to discuss with you."

"Do you want to hire the agency?"

"Yes. But I would prefer that you handle it. When can you come discuss it?"

Angelique looked at her calendar. Not today. Not tomorrow. How about the day after tomorrow?"

"Fine. Come by noon."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

He threw the drained rabbit aside. It eased his hunger, thought he would have to hunt again. Animal blood did not fully satisfy him, so he had to have more of it...

He remembered the drained cattle that followed his first days out of the coffin... But then he had been so hungry then, that it was a good thing that he had had the wits to drain cattle... He had had enough sense , or cunning, or instinct to know that drained human bodies would have led to his being trapped in the coffin again for a couple hundred years more...

And if he had stayed that way, if he had not approached Maggie... if. he had done things differently...

But then he would have never met Julia. Might never have made the new life for himself that he now enjoyed... He might never had anything worth having...

Somebody laughed behind him. It was Priscilla, smiling maliciously.

"You have changed, haven't you?"

"Yes. I have." he said, wearily.

"Who did this to you? A woman?"

"Yes."

"Did you treat her the way you treated me?"

"Not specifically. But I hurt her, too."

She moved closer to him, moving her ghostly fingers towards his blood-smeared mouth "You could have avoided all this. If you had been a proper husband to me and loved me, and cared for me, you'd have never gotten involved with her, and she would not have done this to you."

"I know that."

"You could not even stay in the same room with me. I sill don't know how I got pregnant at all. You'd only get in bed with me in the dark, so as not have to look at me. Your mother always told me that it was my fault. And Dear Aunt Abigail, how she could twist you inside with a few words. I didn't know a single day of happiness as your wife."

"I...I realize that."

"You did mourn Josette, didn't you? But me, did you ever think about me? Did you ever feel sorry for me? Oh, Josette was lucky that she didn't know what kind of a husband you'd make. She was lucky, real lucky."

He lowered his head "You have a right to your anger."

"How generous of you! Now I actually have rights!:

"Is there anything I could say?"

"Say?" she laughed harshly "Are there any words that could solve anything? Or are you trying to come up with some excuse?"

Barnabas just shook his head.

"There is another rabbit down there. Catch it and cut its throat."

"Why?"

"I want to see you do it. I want to see the blood running down your chin."

The bush moved.

"Go. Get it before it runs away."

He knew what she wanted, and why. He still could recognize raw hatred and, remembering how shy and scared she used to be, it shocked him.

He moved quickly and lifted the rabbit in his hands.

With a snap he broke its neck.

"Why did you do it?"

"No point in making it suffer."

"All right. Drink. And let me see your teeth."

He did as she requested, accepted the humiliation that she was heaping in him.

She snickered while he drank from the small corpse. Finally it was over and the threw the rabbit away.

"That was good. You can go now."

A cold dismissal. Like the ones she had heard, too many.

"And turn yourself into a bat. I want to see how you do it."

* * *

"Well, how's my favorite shrink doing?" Kenneth asked on the phone.

"Oh, Kenneth!" Julia said "you don't know how much I miss you."

"How's your practice doing?'

"Some practice. Trying to get at David's memory when he resists me. Trying to convince Louella not to blame herself. Trying to keep everyone from killing each other."

"Barnabas is no help?"

"Him? Ha! Spends the whole day sleeping. And when he gets up, out he goes. He has to run errands for us, he says. Or talk to Priscilla. Or just feed. Anything to get out of the house. And if he stays here, he just paws Oriana."

"Do I detect some jealousy in your?""

"Yes. I am jealous. Very jealous of the fact that he can have sex and I can't. All right. How are things at Wyncliffe?"

"Not much new. Evans seems to be running it well."

"The protection Angelique put there still holds?"

"It still holds."

"Good. Laura could lure me out that way." she sighed. "Sometimes I wonder if you could move in, but then I remember how cramped we are already."

"I have protection, don't forget it."

"Yes. You do. Well, I guess that we'll have to put up with it until I manage to unlock David's memory. Bye, love."

She hung up. Yes, she had to get to David's memory. But how? There as a strong block in him, and the tension they were living under did not make things any easier. How could she ask David to relax before trying for flow of consciousness recall, when relaxation was something nobody managed?

It was thankless, doing this every day, trying to get somewhere with David. Missing Kenneth. Worrying about what Laura would try with him. Worrying about Wyncliffe. Worrying about this and that. And then her head working overtime, recycling garbage that she had accumulated over the years.

She could understand the nature of David's block. Laura wanted to mate with her own son. For her it was no big thing. The Pharaohs married _their_ sisters. But David did not have Laura's perspective. The idea aroused so much loathing in him that he had made himself forget all about in in order to keep his sanity...

She should have pursued it last year, she told herself angrily, while he was still under the werewolf curse, when due to the defilement the curse inflicted, Laura could not approach him..

But she had let Barnabas talk her out of that one.

What excuse did she have for listening to him? He had no degree, no training whatsoever. Sure, he had been lucky a few times, but that was all. Luck.

Why had she hired him in the first place, anyway? He was nothing but aggravation. Always with crazy ideas, using her patients as guinea pigs.

Sometimes she wondered why she had gotten involved with him at all. Her life would be much simpler without him. She would have saved herself so much heartbreak.

She shivered uncontrollably. It was getting to her... Like Kira's tapes. Barnabas had been right.

Well, something would have to be done about that.

* * *

"You want to do this with me? You don't thing I can handle it?"

"Hallie did not stay with Frances, and so we missed our chance with Barnabas Collins. I don't intend to make the same mistake... And Angelique is very dangerous."

"You should know. You were her lover, once."

"I got myself someone a lot better now." Frank said, shrugging.

Xavier decided not to press it. He did not want to get chummy with Frank. They were on the same side in this instance, but that did not mean that he liked Frank any better now.

They heard the steps coming towards them.

"All right, you know what to do." Frank said, slipping behind the door.

Angelique came in. "Mr. Davenport?" she said.

"Come in, my dear and close the door behind you."

Angelique did so and Xavier reached for a cigarette lighter.

Cigarette lighter? She tensed up. Xavier, the health freak, with a cigarette lighter?

Then Frank seized her from behind.

"Fast" he instructed Xavier. "She has no powers when threatened with fire."

Xavier flicked the lighter, lifting the flame so that it was level with her eyes.

From the flame came Laura's laughter. "I warned you, Angelique, but you would not listen."

Frank splashed her dress. Gasoline...

They meant to burn her alive!

"You little fool. You thought that you could defeat me?'"

She slumped forward and with her free hand reached for Frank's genitals. She squeezed them hard until he released her, screaming.

She caught him and threw him over her shoulder to Xavier, and ran towards the door.

"Not so fast, Miss Duval."

It was Dirk Wilkins. His body was pure flame now. and he reached with his hands towards her gasoline soaked dress.

She stepped back, just as Frank was getting up again.

She caught Frank by the shoulder, heaved him over and made him fall in Wilkins arms, then she hit Xavier on the neck with a karate blow..

The lighter was still on the floor, still open, still releasing flames.

There were now men and women inside the room, all made of flames, all moving menacingly towards her.

And Frank moved towards her, too.

Desperately she spat on her fingers. Saliva wasn't water, but it would do.

She made the Egyptian symbol for water in front of her, then to her sides and back.

"You cannot touch me now." she announced.

"But I can." Frank was still moving towards her. His clothes were on fire, but it did not seem to cause him pain.,

She could not fight him. One touch and her own dress would go up in flames.

She grabbed the lighter, closed it, and made the sign over it.

Laura, Dirk,, and the others were gone now. Only Frank and Xavier remained. And the fire in Frank's clothes was dying now.

"Hold her, Xavier." Frank said desperately "We can still do it."

She jumped to a side as Xavier lunged for her, caught him by the wrist and threw him against Frank, making both of them crash against the wall.

She raced through the door, opened it, and ran out into the street.

But she still wore the gasoline soaked dress. One single spark, and it would all be over.

She ducked into Sandy's old shop, which Xavier was keeping open, being run by the Indian women Sandy had been made to hire... The women stared at her, but let her take off her dress and wrap herself into a robe...

Now, all she had to do was call the police.

And as she did so, she wondered how she could have moved so quickly, and fought so well, why she had known the moves...

...because Megan had the skills, and she had tapped into it through their link... as Megan had predicted...


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Hallie knelt by the fire, her hands on the scarab.

"Frank failed" she said and could not repress a smug smile " You'll have to use me again. He is going to be locked up, like Buffy. It is all up to me, now."

The flames wavered in front of her.

"It has to be me." Hallie insisted " No one knows that I am here. I can get your child for you. And kill Barnabas Collins." she smiled, a grim smile... "As he killed me when my name was Maude Browning. Even if you do not reward me for it, I would still do it."

But she could not keep thinking of her reward. International stardom, that was what Laura had promised her. What she wanted, as badly as she wanted Barnabas Collins dead.

Anger and impatience seemed to come out of the flames. Hallie understood that. Laura had waited for too long to reclaim her son. His body had been contaminated by drugs, by the werewolf curse, by Barnabas' vampire bite, and Laura had to wait until it cleaned itself. But David was out of her reach, and now, between Julia and Barnabas, the contamination was in his body. Barnabas' bite could be handled quickly, with a stake through the heart, but the drugs that Julia could supply would remain in the body for a while.

"I will serve you" Hallie said "I will not fail you again."

* * *

Frank tried not to smile as George pushed him into his cell. He still had the power, he still could prove himself to Laura.

"Well, Mr. Torrance, you'll have to stay here for your own protection." George said. "I understand that you were not willingly involved in this, so you won't be formally charged. You won't come out with a record for this. Just keep you and Davenport out of harm's way."

Frank nodded and turned slowly. With a quick movement he flicked his lighter and put it to George's eye level.

"Hey! Give me that! Give..." the light of the flames danced through George's eyes, fixing him in place, held by Laura's power, focused on the small flame.

"What do you want, sheriff? Do you want Barnabas in your bed?"

George nodded.

"But he will never want to. He despises you for being what you are. He thinks that you are a pervert."

George tried to shake his head, Feebly.

"You suspect it, don't you?" Frank's voice was teasing again.

George nodded.

"There was a man who loved you. The way you want to be loved. Remember him?"

The flame expanded in front of George's eyes. There was a face in it...

"Dave..."

"You lost him. You want him back, don't you? And you can't"

George nodded as the face disappeared again.

"Maybe you can have him again. If we think that you deserve it. If you serve us faithfully.

George nodded.

"Will you serve us?"

"Yes."

"Even to the death of Barnabas Collins? Even to the death of the man who spurned you. Even to the death of the man who killed your lover?"

There was anger in George's voice now. "Even to the death of Barnabas Collins."

"Good! And to show you our good faith, we have a present for you."

It was Dirk Wilkins, naked and smiling invitingly.

* * *

"Frank Torrance." Barnabas felt sick. "Laura got to him, too."

"And there were few doors closed to him. " Julia commented. "He could call anyone on official business."

"Did Angelique file charges against him?"

"To keep him out of the way. Like with Buffy. George promised that there would be no record of his stay at the local jail."

"That is good" Barnabas said distractedly, then added, grimly "First Frances, then him. Who will be the next one?"

Julia shook her head.

"I am going to bring Kenneth here."

"He doesn't want to come. We are cramped already. And he's got protection."

"I am bringing him here. If he agrees, fine. If not, I'll force him. I might bite him, anyway, to make sure that Laura didn't get him already. But if she did, he will not be able to enter here... One thing for sure, Kenneth is not springing any surprises on us."

* * *

"Willie, will you help me?" Louella said, extending the wool yarn.

"What is it, this time?"

"I need you to put your arms to hold this so I can make a ball."

"Why don't you use a chair?" Willie grumbled without moving.

"I'd rather it was you. After all, you have little to do."

"No. I don't"

Willie's face darkened and Louella knew that she had said the wrong thing. Willie had suddenly remembered why they had to be cooped up there, watching TV all day and finding different ways to kill time.

Julia had told him not to blame her. Julia had told her not to blame herself. Fat chance. People who were shut in all day with nothing ALWAYS said the wrong things, and ALWAYS took offense.

She wished that the situation was solved quickly. Much longer and she and Willie were headed to a divorce.

* * *

"Let it be noted that I am here under protest." Kenneth shook his finger at Barnabas. "I don't enjoy being forcibly kidnapped."

"Force? What do you mean force? I barely touched you."

"What do you call these?" he pulled up his sleeve "Cogent rational arguments?"

"I tried to explain to you first why you had to be here."

"This place is not overcrowded enough for your taste. And, after all, I have nothing better to do with my time."

Julia watched with amusement. Kenneth did have a short fuse and Barnabas was now finding out all about it. Better to let him get out with it, instead of having him sulk.

That was the difference between herself and Kenneth. Kenneth would make a scene, scream his lungs out, and then forget all about it, while she would say nothing and carry a grievance for years.

"I am going to sue you for this, never mind! I'll take you for every cent you own!"

"If you are in such a hurry to be in charge of my debts, you are welcome to them."

"And on top of that, you try to be funny! Kenneth lifted up his arms. "Julia, refuse to be locked up with this... this comedian."

"You'll have to." Julia said, placatingly.

"Now you take his side? You are supposed to be my wife!"

"I am."

"So tell him to let me go!"

"He won't do it, no matter what I say."

Barnabas sighed and looked out of the window. Outside was more peaceful than inside, even with Priscilla out there.

And anyway, he was getting hungry... So he disappeared.

"Hey! Where are you going!" Kenneth shouted "Stay here and fight like a man!"

"He does this all the time." Julia sighed. "For one reason or another, he is always leaving."

"I could break his neck" Kenneth growled.

"But you can't. Would you mind taking a look at Frances? I would welcome a second opinion."

* * *

Angelique accepted the coffee that Julia gave her.

"It must have been frightening for you." Oriana commented.

"I have had worse." Angelique could not resist showing off to Barnabas' current mistress. "But it was mostly adrenaline, reacting quickly " and also, tapping on Megan's knowledge of hand to hand combat "And it was good for my self confidence, which took a beating after my run in with Tom Jennings and Roxanne Drew. I had no self-doubts this time."

"Yes, you were hampered by your guilt feelings" Julia said. "With Laura there are no guilt feelings."

"No. I may not be perfect, I may need a lot of work. But I am not a murderous creature burning children alive at the altar of Moloch."

Oriana shivered at that. That was their enemy, then.

"What is Laura?" she asked.

"A phoenix."

Kenneth accepted his own cup of coffee "I can't understand why how can come and go as you please, while we have to stay here."

"I can protect myself. With you, it is not easy to keep you safe. And Julia is vulnerable through you."

Kenneth mumbled something. Something about whether they had enough people already, or did they need to kidnap another warm body...

"A phoenix?" Oriana insisted. " You can't tell me that Oriana is a bird."

"Not a bird. But she can assume that shape at times. Think of her as a demon.

"She was never a human being?"

"I don't think so. but she does assume human form very often. There is a pattern of human sacrifice associated with her. Mothers sacrificing their children to prove their love for their god. She must have children, and sacrifice them at regular intervals. If that is not possible, she must offer a pregnant woman who has been deceived into giving up her child. She needed Louella to remedy her failure to offer David. And she needed Priscilla to remedy her failure to conceive by Jeremiah."

"She could have had a child by someone else." Julia pointed out.

"No, that is also part of the patter. It must be a legitimate child, born of a legal marriage. The idea was that illegitimate child is not as cherished as a legitimate one, and thus it is not as painful a sacrifice."

"Is there a way we could find more about her?" Oriana asked.

David looked up from his book "Maybe Professor Guthrie would know."

"Who?"

"Professor Peter Guthrie. He investigated her, when she came for me. He found out quite a bit about her."

"Where is he? Maybe he can help us."

"He's dead. She killed him."

"Dead?" Julia said with disappointment."

"We could hold a séance, of course. It would not be the first time we do."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"So it is going to be a séance?" Oriana asked. "Funny, I have never been to a séance. We will try to contact Guthrie tonight, after Barnabas comes back from his errands?"

"Yes, that would be best. We need Barnabas' energy for this."

"You think that this man Guthrie can help us find what we need to know?" Louella asked.

"He should" Julia said. "He was the one who found out what she was in 1967"

* * *

Harry Redwolf wondered what could the sheriff want with him. Did he thing that he had anything to do with that story with Torrance? He didn't know the details, but probably there was more to it than the drunk and disorderly charge that was used to lock up Torrance and Davenport.

There was something odd in the way Sheriff Brant looked at him. he wished that he could pin it down. but then, most of the people he had to deal with in this Davenport deal were weird. Starting with Barnabas.

"Mr. Torrance wants to see you." George explained.

"Torrance?" Redwolf furrowed his brow. "Look sheriff, whatever he did get himself into, I was no part of it. I has been weeks since I saw him last."

"And Davenport? When did you see him last?"

"Several days ago. The same stuff as always." he laughed. "He would not make more concessions unless he got certain things from me. I said not, but offered others instead. Then he made other offers.. you know, the usual horse trading."

"That's not what they say."

"Then they are lying."

"Would you care to discuss it with Torrance?"

"Sure, if I am being accused, I want to know of what."

George led Redwolf towards the cells. Torrance's cell was at the end of the corridor, and he had managed to have the other cells empty. He preferred not to have stories going around about this.

Frank was lying down, humming to himself.

"Well, Torrance. Here's Redwolf." George said "got anything to say to him?"

Frank got up slowly.

"Look Torrance, I don't know what you have been saying about me, but I know that it isn't true. Whatever you and Davenport were doing, was no business of mine."

"But you would have liked to know about it." Frank said mockingly "It would have done you good to know about it."

"You see, he says that I wasn't in it!"

"Ah, Harry, you would have wanted to be in it. Think how much you'd have gained. I should gave gone to you, not Davenport."

"All right." Harry turned to George " You have heard him say that I wasn't a party to it. Can I go now?"

George shook his head. "No, you can't"

"What do you mean, no? What else do you want me for?"

"I told you. You are an accomplice. As of now."

"What?"

George seized him and held him against the bars, where Frank caught him. "You weren't an accomplice then, but will be one now." With Frank's help he handcuffed Redwolf to the bars "You better listen to what the has to offer."

"Thanks sheriff" Torrance said. "I will do the rest."

"You want him gagged? I don't want stories about screams coming from my jail."

"There will be no need. Just close the door as you leave."

Frank flicked the lighter. The small flame burned on it. He almost thought he could see Janet's eyes in the flame.

He had lost her. She would not come until he had succeeded in killing Barnabas Collins. And he would do it. He would bait a trap with Redwolf's help.

He lifted the flame to Redwolf's eyes, close enough to singe the eyebrows.

Redwolf screamed once, but then Frank's hand covered his mouth.

"No, don't say anything. Just watch the flame." he put it right over Redwolf's nose, between the eyes. "It is beautiful, isn't it?"

Redwolf blinked.

"Look at it." Frank insisted.

There was an entranced look in Redwolf's expression now. Frank released his mouth

"Don't be afraid."

"I am not afraid."

"Open your eyes wide. Do not blink."

He lifted the flame to the eyes. First the right, then the left. Redwolf tensed, then relaxed.

"That didn't hurt, did it?"

"No..." Redwolf's voice now sounded remote, like disembodied, as his will was still fighting a losing battle with Laura.

Frank ran his hand over the flame, put two fingers through it, and pulled a golden scarab from it."

"Will you serve us?"

"I will serve you."

"Even to the death of Barnabas Collins?"

"Even to the death of Barnabas Collins."

Frank gave him the scarab. "Wear this around your neck, always."

* * *

Julia gave Willie his pill.

"Take it, Willie." she ordered him.

"Why? I am not sick."

"You know why. Take it, it is only Valium."

"You doping me?"

"I am trying to keep you calm. You have to admit that you have been somewhat difficult."

"It was David's fault." Willie grumbled.

"It was nobody's fault. Our nerves are on edge. That's why I try to keep you tranquilized. Come, everybody else takes them."

"Yeah." Willie looked down "All right, doctor. I'll take it." he received the pill in his hand.

"Now swallow the pill?

"All right.": he swallowed it. "Happy now?"

* * *

Priscilla glided among the trees noiselessly. Barnabas saw her and flew towards her. She would abuse him again. so be it. He had to talk to her. Maybe this time she would give him the information he needed. Just in case they did not learn what they needed from he séance tonight. Priscilla could help them, and if she did, the abuse would be worth it.

She looked at him, her face setting as he approached. He could read all the hatred locked in her, the reproaches she had yet to make. She glided away from him. Not much. Just enough to indicate her distaste for his presence.

"Priscilla" he began.

She lifted her face, fixing him with cold eyes. "What do you want?"

"What is that we need? David can't remember."

"He will remember."

"We are so helpless..."

"Helpless? And how do you like being helpless?"

"I don't like it."

She smiled maliciously "You never wanted to see me, and now you go out looking for me, are desperate to talk to me."

She moved away a little bit, her eyes fixed on him.

Then she screamed.

"Priscilla!"

She was now struggling, trying to pull away from something that seemed to have snagged her dress. She tried to grab the branches above and pull herself up, but her hands just went through them.

He saw the small flame rise for the half-extinguished cigarette.

"Help! Help me, Barnabas!" she shrieked "She's got me."

Barnabas tried to hold her, but his hands went through her uselessly, as she screamed louder and louder, pain now mixing with terror in her screams.

"Priscilla!"

She was being sucked into the flames, he realized. Already her feet and lower legs had disappeared into in. He stomped furiously on the cigarette, but it was useless.

"It is too late." Laura's voice said. "I have captured my disobedient slave and I will punish her now."

Priscilla's screams began to die away as more and more of her body was swallowed up into the flame. She was whimpering now, begging Laura to release her. She turned anguished eyes to Barnabas, opened her lips once more to beg... and was gone.

Barnabas stomped on the cigarette angrily, impotently. Laura had won this time, and Priscilla would pay for it.

* * *

He had failed Priscilla. Again. What was Laura doing to her now?

"You can't do anything for her now." Julia said gently "maybe later, if Guthrie helps us."

He sat at the table and extended his hands. One to Willie and one to Oriana. David and Julia completed the circle. Kenneth had refused to cooperate and Louella had insisted on looking after Frances.

Oriana felt nervous. This was the first séance she attended and she wasn't sure that she was supposed to do. If something went wrong, they'd think it was her fault.

Willie could not keep from worrying about attracting Jenny again. In fact, Laura could cause that to happen, to chase Louella out of the house, where they would be waiting for her.

Yet they were desperate for anything that could help them. Maybe Guthrie had the answers. David had them, but could not remember what they were. And until them, they were prisoners in the house.

"Peter Guthrie." Julia said. "Peter Guthrie. Come to us. We need your help."

Then her voice rattled and she threw her head back.

"Who calls me?" she asked in a man's voice.

"Professor Guthrie, this is David. David Collins. You helped me once."

"Yes. David Collins. I knew you."

"We need help again."

"I do sense the evil threatening you. There is a strangeness here and the dangers comes closer to you."

"Can you tell us what to do?"

"I will show you in due time."

"Please, tell us." Barnabas pleaded "the danger is growing and we are helpless."

Julia stared at him. "I will tell you, but not now."

Julia's head dropped. She gurgled and shivered.

"Julia, are you all right?"

"Huh?" Julia lifted her head "Yes... did he tell you anything?"

"That we are in danger, and that there is evil around us. Nothing that we didn't know." Oriana said with impatience.

"He said that we'd soon learn of it." David said, defending the man who had once helped him.

"But why couldn't he tell us now?"


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"Well, it got us nothing" Oriana said later to Julia over tea "But then it was just a wild shot."

"We are grasping at straws" Julia said "I know that I can get David to tell me. I can feel it. But I can't reach it."

"If Guthrie could tell us what to do, why not say it tonight? Why play this game?"

"He has his reasons" Julia said in a slightly strange voice.

Oriana looked at Julia. Maybe it was her imagination, but it seemed as if Julia was lying, keeping something back.

Nah... it was just her nerves. Like everyone else, her nerves were on edge.

"Is this the first time you have been at a séance?" she asked Julia.

"No. I have been to several. But this is the first time that I am the medium. I find it most strange..."

Yes. Maybe that was it. And maybe not.

"It is strange" Julia continued "to have another mind intruding in yours. He was kind of remote, if he had let go of all earthly attachments, or most of them anyway. Then, he had few attachments. He had no close family. His work, well, most of it was published, and his murdered had been exposed and defeated" Julia felt a child coming through her..." but not wholly defeated.."

"Well, it was just a wild shot."

She got up and washed her cup. Nerves were pressing her, and as she always did when she was nervous she began to sing.

"Strumming my face with this fingers/telling my life with his words/ killing me softly with his song/killing me softly with his song."

"Oriana! Stop!"

It was Barnabas, his face contorted in anger. And at his side, Julia, pale and shivering...

"For God's sake, Oriana, can't you see that you are getting on people's nerves with your singing?"

"Sorry, I didn't realize."

* * *

"Dirk" Buffy moaned "Dirk, come back to me."

He wouldn't come, she realized. She had failed, and this was the price for failure. Abandoned in a padded cell, without even a chance to buy back her mistakes.

But it was not her that failed! it was not because of her that Barnabas had learned of it and interrupted the ceremony. It wasn't fair!

"Dirk! I miss you so much!"

* * *

"I am sorry that I snapped at you." Barnabas said to Oriana later "It is that the song has unpleasant connotations for Julia. She came awfully close to a nervous breakdown about a couple of years ago. When I saw her, she was staring blankly ahead and singing that same song... She did snap out of it, but I was very scared for her."

"I see. I didn't realize." But still she looked at him warily. She had never seen him so angry - had never realized how dangerous he could be if he ever lost it. In spite of herself, she shivered.

He saw this and understood. "You don't have to stay here if you don't want to."

"It is too late, isn't it? I mean, Laura could get me any time and use me against you."

She was right about it. She had no choice now. It was not her fight, but she had chose to make it so... Now she was stuck here with the rest of them.

"Anyway, I want to know how this turns out." She put her arms around Barnabas' neck and kissed him.

He kissed her, but almost distractedly, and ran his hands over her hair and back.

"What is it?" she asked. "Is it Priscilla?"

"Yes. I can't keep from thinking how much she hates me, how much I deserve her hatred. If only I could help her now. But I saw Laura claim her and could do nothing to stop it. When I think of how Laura can punish her...

* * *

Redwolf bit his lip nervously. He had always wanted to do this, Tackle Old Munsungan and defeat him for good. He had never dared this before, but now he would be allowed to do so.

He looked at the woman beside him, Hallie Stokes. She was the one with the power. He didn't. She would give him some of the power, but not all. He would take the leavings.

Oh, forget it. He would get rid of Old Munsungan, and that what all that he cared about.

He looked at the men. They were Munsungan's men. But that would change.

The old man had been a thorn on his side for too long. He could never get anything done because of the old man. Always interfering and putting roadblocks.

All in all, he should have done this sooner. He had restrained himself needlessly in the past. Too much concern about polite niceties.

Well, he was now going to get rid of that bother once and for all...

If only the price was not Barnabas' life...

Well, Barnabas had asked for it. He was supposed to be his ally, wasn't he? So how come suddenly he was so close with the old man, plotting behind his back? He should have struck him, Redwolf, then this need not happen. He didn't and so much the worse for him.

He was pleased to see that the guard around the old man was relaxed. He felt safe.

Hallie stayed behind, her hands going to her scarab while he went to meet the old man.

"Old Munsungan!" he said insolently.

The old man looked at him with penetrating eyes.

"You do not come here of your own free will." Munsungan said. "I see the eyes of a slave."

"I am no slave. I am your master, now"

Munsungan rose slowly. "You have power now, but not enough to challenge me. You should know that " he moved his arms and Redwolf felt the strength draining from him.

Then a bolt of fire shot past him and hit Munsungan squarely on the chest.

Hallie smiled slightly "He's all yours now."

"It is over, all man. It is over for you and Barnabas both."

* * *

"Dirk, I love you." George whispered to Dirk, lying by his side on the bed.

For a moment he wondered why Dirk didn't ignite the sheets with his fiery body. But did it matter, really?

"Am I not better for you than Barnabas?" Dirk asked, teasingly.

"Yes. You are."

"So why feel sad about it? What has he ever done for you that you regret killing him?"

"I don't know...I loved him once. It seems wrong..."

"He killed your lover. He owes you and won't pay up."

"It is true." George said.

Dirk kissed him. Several times. George's arms closed around Dirk's body tightly.

"He's not worth your grief" Dirk whispered into his ear. "he deserves anything he gets."

* * *

They were still asleep, all of them. The tranquilizers she had fed them last night would make sure that they slept through this.

Guthrie had not told them anything at the séance for a good enough reason. There was evil in here, threatening them it was up to her to put a stop to it.

She used Willie's tools as Guthrie directed her. It proved awkward, as she did not have the experience of them. Still, she kept at it until she managed to get a good enough point.

She then went to finish her job.

"Julia!" Oriana shouted at her.

Julia turned, surprised. "You are awake."

"I had a weird feeling yesterday and I did not take your pills. Julia, you are not going to kill Barnabas."

"I have to."

"That's why Guthrie would not tell us when we asked him. He did not want Barnabas to hear."

"It has to be done." Julia said.

It was not Julia's voice. It was Peter Guthrie's deep voice that came form her mouth.

"You will kill him over my dead body."

"I wish you no harm. I want to help you. Didn't you ask me for help?"

"Not against Barnabas!"

"He's one of the undead. There is a very sick woman here, and she has the scars on her throat."

"Laura made her sick! Not him! Laura Murdock Collins! The one who murdered you! She's back and ready to claim David again! Barnabas is the one protecting us!"

Julia...no.. Guthrie showed amazement. "Laura.."

"I guess you have been... say out of touch. We called on you to help us, and you tried to murder the one who is making it possible for us to resist her."

Confusion raced through Julia's face. "I...I have detached myself." Guthrie said, and Oriana guessed that this was an apology.

Then Guthrie was gone, and Julia was left, looking at the stake she still held in her hand.

"He...he deceived me" she said "He wanted to kill Barnabas... he wanted me to... to..." Julia's lips were shaking as were her hands. "he actually tried to get me to..."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

The fires were lit. Redwolf stood in the middle of them, naked, red markings over his chest and arms.

Behind him was Hallie, flames growing out of her hands.

Around them the tribe watched, transfixed.

"I am the Master of the Fire, now! " he shouted at them "the power is in me!

Hallie grimaced a bit at that. The power was in her. It was she who could call in Laura, the one who could command the fire. But she needed him for this.

They were watching him. For the first time they watched him with awe. Never before had he received such attention from them. Only Munsungan had such poser. Well, it was now over for the old man.

All of the watching him, hanging on every one of his words, following him with their eyes. And the power was in him... even if not as fully as he wanted, the power was in him.

Hallie lifted her hands. She was a living flame, given to single-minded adoration of the Mistress, And the thoughts of the rewards awaiting her.

She would sing at the Met. She would sing at La Scala. She would sing Norma, the Druid Priestess, presiding over human sacrifices... She could not just sing, but live the role. And for her there would be no love affair, no betrayal. She would have the power and hold to it, for all that it could bring her. And Laura would reward her.

Redwolf lifted and lance and threw it. When it hit the ground flames sprouted from it.

"Barnabas Collins must die!" he shouted "And David Collins must be returned to his mother!"

* * *

Frances got up from bed laboriously. She knew that she should not exert herself, as she still had not recovered from the shock, but she felt restless. Something was wrong. Something that had to do with Barnabas...

Barnabas needed her.

"What are you doing, up on your feet?" Kenneth grumbled "You know better than that."

"I have to..."

"Frances, you are a nurse yourself, you know better than this."

"But something is wrong! I feel it!"

"It is all under control, now. Nothing happened. Get back in bed! Louella! I thought you were supposed to be watching her."

Louella came in "I am. But your wife needed me."

"Let Oriana handle my wife. Or myself. This lady is _your_ patient."

* * *

Louella drank the tea. "Well, she's asleep at last. She knew that something was wrong. I had to show her that Barnabas was still in one piece, along with everybody else, before she would get back in bed. How's Julia?"

Oriana shook her head. "Still crying. I mean, the way she takes it, it is as if it was _her_ idea to stake Barnabas, instead of Guthrie's. Or maybe it is just nerves from being cooped up, just like the rest of us."

"I know. I am glad that I have Frances to look after. No, I think it is terrible what happened to her. But if I didn't have her to keep me busy, I would start getting all kinds of crazy ideas.

Oriana nodded. She knew what Louella meant. Taking care of Julia had been good for her, instead of trying to rewrite the same story, as she had been doing. She had written all the letters that Amnesty International had requested of her, but that was done. Reading the histories of the people she wrote for was even more depressing, like "what right do I have to feel bad about myself compared to this?" And Barnabas had promised them another batch for letter writing for Bread for the World... She could understand why Julia would want to stake him...

"I think that it is even worse for the men. Specially Willie. David can study, Kenneth can review case histories, but what can Willie do? Barnabas brought him a couple of TV sets to be fixed, but that only lasted so long. He misses going out, and it does things to him."

"I can see that."

"It is not his fault. After all, I _was_ the one who sold the baby to Laura. He blames me, and is right about that."

Oriana shook her head vehemently "Look, Louella, you were vulnerable and she knew how to get to you. And if Willie had been less of an idiot this would not have happened."

Louella laughed. "You sound just like Julia. Only she uses longer words than that."

* * *

Julia was still sobbing when Barnabas got up.

"She's rather emotional about it." Kenneth explained "but then she's been under a strain lately. She needs a good cry."

Barnabas took her hands. "Julia?" he asked softly.

She evaded his eyes. "I didn't want to do it. He made me."

"I know." he lifted her to her feet and held her close. "It is all right, now."

She began to cry noisily.

Barnabas knew exactly what was going through her mind and how powerless he was to stop it. Dave had forgiven her, but she hadn't fully forgiven herself, even if the worst of it was over for her. She had thought that it would be all over, that everything would be all right again, but it had not worked that way. There was still pain ahead, and he did not wish to have to deal with it.

And she had to, anyway.

He was powerless to help her. Specially now that she had been about to kill a close friend of hers. Again.

He had to explain it to her that it did not matter, that the pain would remain, true, but that she was better able to handle it, and that it would become less important. He had to reach her.

He looked up at Kenneth "Can you leave us alone?" he asked.

"She's my wife."

"And I am her therapist. We have gone over this before."

Kenneth grumbled, but left them and closed the door behind him.

Barnabas wondered grimly what would Kenneth's reaction be if he knew Julia's secret, then turned his attention to Julia.

"I didn't want to do it. He...he..."

The hatred with which she said _he_ struck Barnabas. Not all of it was directed towards Guthrie. And not all the tears were for Barnabas.

"I know, Julia, I know."

She clung to him, sobbing.

"It is all right now."

She shook her head. It would never be right for her.

"It is over. You have to accept that." he hugged her. "Julia, self-recrimination will not stop Laura."

Julia nodded, but wouldn't stop crying.

"It hurts, doesn't it?"

He could not prevent her pain. He knew he shouldn't even try. The pain was needed, it was drawing out the poison that she had stored for too long.

But if he could not stop it, he could share it. Make sure that she was not alone. After days of disappearing each time trouble brewed, he finally have to face it.

He consciously emptied his mind as he bent over Julia's throat. She would not be alone now. The pain would be his as the blood flowed out of her.

The wounds were small, and using his tongue to interrupt the flow he managed to stay longer than it would have been safe otherwise, as he held Julia close, closer than two human beings could ever be, reducing his mind to an awareness of hers, repeating to her over and over that she was not alone, that she never need to be alone.

Then the tears eased up and he knew that the worst was over.

He pulled out and looked at her face. There were still tears in her eyes, but her expression was peaceful.

"It never stops, eh Julia?" he said softly "that's that he said to me. That the pain always stays, but that we get better at handling it. We have to be content with that."

"Barnabas..."

"You are hurting now, but it will go away, and when it comes back, you will be stronger."

"It was... it was like last time." she shook convulsively. "only this time it was you."

"And you can't go on like that. If you keep killing your friends you'll have none left."

She shook but there was no malice in his voice, only wistfulness. And she had no tears left."

In spite of herself she smiled "It is odd, isn't it? To find ourselves like this." she took his face in her hands "You made me a promise, I remember."

"Yes. I said that I was the only friend you have left."

"Did you intend to keep it?"

"No. But I kept it, anyway. And I don't regret it."

"Yes. you kept it. I wanted more from you, but that was just not possible."

* * *

Kenneth was arguing with David. "If you really wanted to help, you'd cooperate more. You should have remembered by now."

"Look, I do my best. What more do you want?"

"I want to get out of here! I want to get back to the normal world when we don't go around holding séances when we are stumped and where we don't depend on ghosts for answers. This is crazy! I should have my head examined for putting up with this."

The sound of a door opening behind him made him turn. "Oh, there you are. What did Julia have to tell you?"

"Kenneth, you know that it is privileged information."

"You don't have a degree. And don't like the way you two keep secrets from me. I don't like being left out."

"Kenneth, I can't tell you. Look, I have to go out. Can I pick up a magazine for you?"

"Get me the "New Yorker". And the "Saturday Review".

* * *

This time it had been woodchucks, the bodies piling up on the snow. Animal blood tasted different, kind of strange... True, Derek could live on it quite comfortably, but Derek was weak on many respects... Animal blood did lack something. But it did for now.

It wasn't the blood that bothered him. It was Kenneth. he was getting irritable. He resented being excluded from a large area of his wife's life. And while he could understand Kenneth's feelings, share them, even, the fact was that Kenneth could destroy Julia utterly. And he had to do was to find the secret she and Barnabas shared.

Kenneth would reject her. There was little chance that he could prove understanding about premeditated murder. And if he did, was Julia strong enough to withstand it? He had rejected her once for much less and he remembered what that had done to Julia.

"You think it is over" he said bitterly to himself "and then it pops in different form. Then nothing is truly over. The slave trade was abolished in the last century. So was slavery. But still Tammy will not accept me as a relative. Why should this be any different?"

All he could do was watch, wait, and be there to pick up the pieces should the worst happen.

In a way it had been easier for him than Julia. Al least he could take care of her and keep busy that way. What did he have?

He knew for a fact that if Julia did not survive, neither would he. It was not guilt, no self-flagellation. It was a cold hard fact.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Barnabas recognized him. He was one of those who supported the old shaman Munsungan. And this one was more devoted than most.

"You want to see me?" he asked mildly to him.

"Yes." the man said, out of breath "Old Munsungan wants to see you." he gave Barnabas a piece of cured hide with painted symbols that Barnabas recognized as the shaman's signature. "We can help you defeat your enemy."

"Yes, the old man could. If anyone could help him it would be him. All the other ways were dead ends. Julia could not unlock David's mind and calling on Guthrie had almost led to Julia's breakdown.

He smiled at the man, who looked away, as if embarrassed (had it been only two years since he had seen first? Certainly it seemed impossible that this polite and helpful young man had once bound his hands so tightly for the firing squad.).

"Thank you." he said to the man.

"You will have to come with the other one. The young man."

"David"

"You two need to be there for what Munsungan needs to do."

* * *

"You want to go there?"

"I have to."

Oriana was not happy with that. "How much do you trust this shaman? You told me that once he had you before a firing squad."

"That is ancient history."

"Is it, really?"

"If someone can help us, it is he."

"Barnabas" she took his face in her hands. "I worry. This place is getting more and more unendurable by the minute. And that is what Laura is counting on. She will lure us out, one way or the other."

"I know the old man. He is not someone that Laura can handle. He has powers of his own. I know because I tried to tackle him. Laura would not do any better than I did."

He pulled her to him and kissed her deeply. "But it is good to know that you care about me. Maybe this is more than a casual relationship for you."

* * *

The fire raged as Redwolf stood in front of it. Munsungan lay on a heap, moaning, still unconscious from the beating he had received. They looked at him with less feeling than if he had been a dog, Redwolf noticed with satisfaction.

Hallie howled and danced, naked, a torch in her hand, calling Laura to them. Fire enveloped her, as she threw her head back to howl like a wolf ready for the kill.

Today... today Laura would reclaim her son. Tonight Barnabas Collins would die. Die by her hand. But the hand of Maude Browning.

She remembered his hands on her throat, remembered her fear, her pain, her wish to escape, to live... he had not cared at all.

Well, it was her turn now.

Her blood was boiling. it was a hunger that was not properly hunger. It was a need, a delayed pleasure, an explosion building inside her body.

"Laura!" she howled. "Laura, come claim your son!"

She could almost see Laura's figure. The Mistress, the Lady of the Fire. The ageless phoenix. The woman whose beauty had driven men to self-destruction and to bondage after death. The one who collected the hearts of her slaves in a small chest...

Hallie whipped her arms, dancing frenetically. So be it. She gave herself to Laura, gave herself to the power running through her. Laura would reward her faithful servant.

Her hands went to her head. For one moment she regretted that she did not have longer hair to cover her naked body. She whirled round and round the fire, as the flame began to take shape, to become a woman.

"Laura! Your son is coming to you!"

* * *

Frank flicked the lighter.

"Come baby" she begged the small flame "come to me."

He felt angry. Why was he punished? True, he had failed with Angelique. Still, he had delivered the sheriff and Redwolf. And he had been rewarded for that. Janet had come to his cell and had shared his cot once more.

Why didn't she come now? What had he done wrong?

Maybe it was nothing. Maybe Laura had not use for him anymore... Not with Hallie, and Brant and Redwolf, not to mention the women that Hallie had converted.

Hallie had failed, too. Why was she not rejected? Maybe it was because she had not been content with a salamander in her bed, maybe she wanted more...

Maybe he was wrong. Maybe Janet would not come because she had to be present when Laura claimed her son as her mate.

Maybe... and maybe Laura had just forgotten him, as she had Buffy.

* * *

She had not contradicted. He now expected more than the casual relationship that she had offered him. And she had never thought of it that way. Sure, being locked up made the camaraderie grow, and you got closer than you meant to be. She had wanted a bit of fun with him, and she stayed out of loyalty. But she had never meant anything permanent.

He was not someone with whom you could plan a future. She thought that he understood that. But he didn't.

She would have to tell him. But not now. Not when danger was still there...

And she had something to do...

It had been a long argument before they considered another attempt to contact Guthrie. Julia still objected to it. But still, as Oriana pointed out, they did not have other alternatives. Their choices were becoming fewer and fewer.

Julia didn't join them. Neither did Kenneth, for different reasons. but Willie, Louella, and Frances made up for it. Frances was well enough to try this, and she had insisted she wanted to help.

"Peter Guthrie" Frances said "Professor Peter Guthrie. Barnabas and David have gone to those who promised them help. Are they going to receive it? Are they walking into a trap?"

There was a slight movement in the air.

"Peter Guthrie." Oriana insisted "we need you help."

A small breeze stirred Frances' hair, chilling her.

Then Guthrie was there, looking fixedly at them.

But before Oriana could repeat the question, he was gone.

* * *

Barnabas drove as David sat next to him. David had a faraway look in his face. He knew why. In her determination to unlock him mind, Julia had used drugs on him.

Drugs again. David had first taken them to escape the incestuous embrace of his mother. Then the drugs had become a need of their own. Then the werewolf curse and the vampire bite had offered better protection, and by then David had forgotten why he had turned to drugs.

Clean, his curse a thing of the past, his link with his vampiric cousin slowly fading away, the had hoped to start a new life. Instead he had found Laura waiting for him.

"This better work" Barnabas told himself. David could not spend this life hiding from Laura. He could not go on getting high regularly, or keep coming back to his cousin to be bitten. He could not plan his future on that basis.

Even if the second alternative was possible, Laura could easily stop it. She only had to have him staked, and David would be hers for the taking.

He realized that he had been looking for Priscilla. But, of course, she was not there. He had watched impotently s Laura recaptured her.

It was painful to think of her. All the thoughtless cruelty that he had been capable of, once. He could get away with it, and that was reason enough.

He knew that he had changed over the years, but never before had he realized how much. It was as if it had been a different man who had done those things. A man that he didn't think he' care to meet.

"Which one of you is the real one?" that had been Maggie's question as she laid there, trying to find her way back from the morass that Kira had thrown her in.

He did not know the answer to that. He hoped that the was now the real one, not the other. Yet he also knew that he could not deny the other's reality. He shared too much with that man to be unable to deny him.

It was still a few more miles to the tribe and the roads were icy. He wasn't a very good driver. Usually he did not need to drive. Flying was good enough for him, but now with the responsibility of David he cursed himself for his lack of skill in negotiating the difficult roads. Should have kept up with the driving lessons that Megan offered him.

Should have... his life was but a series of should haves. Should have kept away from Angelique. Should have avoided the duel with Jeremiah. Should have kept his head...

Should have, but never did. His ability to do the wrong thing was unmatched. Even now Julia was suffering for something that had started when he had panicked and began making wrong decision after wrong decision.

At least he could claim temporary insanity to that. But what could he claim about his treatment of Priscilla? Being a true son of his father?

David smiled encouragingly at Barnabas. It worried him to see the expression in his cousin's face. He had been more shaken by Julia's action than he admitted. For some reason he was blaming himself for it.

And that wasn't fair. If anyone should be blamed it was him, David. He had brought nothing but trouble for everyone. He recalled with shame his days as a drug pusher. He had even used Barnabas' home for a center of operations.!

Barnabas had fought for him, refusing to give up hope when everybody else shrugged him off, and rightly so. He had put him back on his feet, and sent him off to college (how had he managed to get the money?)

And now everybody was in danger. It had gotten to the point that Barnabas could not even trust Frances Jackson.

And the worst of it was that Barnabas was now somehow blaming himself for it.

"Barnabas" David said.

Barnabas nodded to show that he was listening.

"I want you to know that I am grateful for everything you've done and that I am sorry I keep bringing you trouble."

"It is all right, David." Barnabas smiled "It isn't your fault what is happening."

"If it wasn't for me you'd not be in this mess."

"I have to face Laura, and not just for your sake. I owe somebody a debt and this is the only way I can pay it."

"Still" David insisted "It would be easier without me around. Why do you fight so hard for me? Why did you decide that I was worth the trouble?"

"You _are _worth the trouble."

"Why? You know what I was. A junkie and a pusher. I was a problem kid. Brought nothing but headaches for everybody. You know what I did to Amy. Do you still think that I am wroth saving?"

"Yes. You are." Barnabas said calmly, then added with a sad smile "It wasn't that long ago that I asked Julia the same question. What she had seen in me that she decided that I was worth saving."

"You were."

"It didn't seem so at first. I don't know what makes us take on hopeless cases and decide that something can be made out of them if only we can figure out the right way. I guess that sometimes we get glimpses of what is going on beneath the surface. Not enough to tell us what it is, but enough to know that it is worth fighting for. I saw enough of what's in you, David. There is a lot more than just a junkie and pusher. Just as there was more to me than just... what I was when Julia found me... And unlike me, you never killed anyone."

'How can you be so sure? The kids I turned on, they might have well died of overdoses or any other drug-related deaths...And if they are not dead, just looking desperately for the next fix?...Barnabas have you ever thought about junkies? How them and you...I mean..."

"Yes. I am aware of the similarities. I keep clear of them because one monkey on my back is all that I can afford. But luckily, unlike them, my mind is clear and I can, to a certain extent, control myself. Still, it would be a good idea to decriminalize it and let addicts get their stuff legally so they don't need to hustle to come up with the fifty dollars they need for their fixes, which if you think of it, is quite a formidable task. Addicts, even if they don't kick their habit, could still lead useful lives. Of course, it would be even better if they kicked it for good...Well, here we are." he parked the car and got down as the half-naked man approached them.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

They left the car and went into the path, with David casting nervous glances behind him.

"Come David" Barnabas said "Munsungan is waiting for us."

"Yes, he is" a voice said behind them.

"Harry?" Barnabas asked.

"Yes." Redwolf came and behind him was Hallie, her bare breasts painted a bright red.

"Hallie!" Barnabas said, shocked. "what are you doing here?"

"My Mistress' work." Hallie said, lifting a hand, small flames at her fingertips. There was a twang, and Barnabas screamed as an arrow pierced his arm.

"It is wood." Hallie said "and it has the seal of the Mistress in it. It robs you of your powers, Barnabas Collins. In the name of the Lady of the Fire, I arrest you."

The men fell on him and David, twisting their arms behind their back.

"Use strong ropes on this one." Redwolf said, indicating Barnabas "Even wounded, he is strong."

Hallie knelt by David who was still struggling. "Do not be distressed, Son of the Lady. You will claim your birthright, as a creature of the Light."

Desperately Barnabas threw himself to his nearest captor trying to bite him, but Redwolf's fist caught him in the middle of the face.

"None of that." Redwolf spat at him. "Try that again and I'll have you gagged."

"No gag." Hallie said, getting up. "I want to hear what he wants to say. But if he tries that again, we will pull out his teeth."

They were made to walk towards the big fire in the clearing. David said nothing, neither did Barnabas, the shock still too strong in him to try to argue. David kept looking worriedly at Barnabas, who was obviously in pain from the arrow stuck in his arm.

Finally Barnabas found his voice. "What happened to Old Munsungan?"

"He's still alive" Redwolf said "but not for much longer. the Lady wants humans sacrifices, so why not him?"

Barnabas' face darkened. "What did you do to him to make him send that message to me?"

"No more than was needed."

The fire raged in the clearing. And in the middle of it, majestic, beautiful as no mortal woman could ever be, was Laura.

"David my son, David my love. Do not be afraid of me."

David screamed and twisted, trying to escape. Uselessly.

"This is your doing." Laura spoke calmly to Barnabas. "You poisoned him against me. And you will pay dearly for that. Tonight I'll claim him. When the drug wears off his body, I will lie with him. And I shall make you pay for keeping me away from him."

"I will not join you." David said.

"Yes, you will. And you, Barnabas, your payment begins now. Look at this."

A flame, brighter than the others expanded, growing transparent until they could all see the woman inside.

"Priscilla!" Barnabas cried.

Priscilla looked at him, her expression one of unendurable pain.

"She is being punished by her disobedience. But her punishment will end once David has consented to become my mate."

Barnabas understood. "You can't claim him unless he comes to you willingly. Those are the rules."

"He will give me his consent." She turned to David. "This creature of Darkness, his presence befouls us, the creatures of Light, such as you or me. He will die for this. But only you, my son, can make his death a quick one."

"Don't give in, David." Barnabas said "don't let her have you."

"Look ho she suffers" Laura indicated Priscilla writhing at her feet. "This is how Barnabas will suffer, and much more. Give yourself to me, David. Give yourself to the glory of the fire."

"Don't David!"

Hallie gestured and Barnabas was tied to a tree. Bundles of firewood were piled around his feet.

"He will burn, David. Alive. And I know ways to prolong the pain. But if you become my mate, an arrow will be shot through his heart before the fire is lit. Which will it be for him? A quick, painless death? Or the fire.?

Barnabas found strength to shake his head. "No." he said.

Redwolf shrugged, with a slight smile "Bring Old Munsungan."

Hallie raised her eyebrows at his temerity in giving orders, but then returned to imperturbability. It was the price for Redwolf' collaboration, and he was collecting it now.

"Will you be so brave with this one's pain?" Redwolf taunted him while the old shaman was bound by his side. He will burn in the same fire as you.

"Not him." Barnabas pleaded. "Please, Harry."

"Him, for sure. What good is selling you down the river if I can't get rid of him?"

David looked at Barnabas, sweat on his face.

"Well, David?" Laura prodded him.

Hallie knelt at Laura's feet, cupped her hands and when she lifted them there was fire in her palms. She walked to Barnabas side, through he firewood and brought the fire in front of Barnabas' face.

"Stop!" David said "don't"

"Will you become my mate?" Laura urged, as Hallie kept the fire close to Barnabas' face, as close as it was possible without burning him. Yet.

David looked at Barnabas and his shoulders sagged. "I am sorry, Barnabas. I can't see you suffer." he turned to Laura. "I accept. I will become your mate."

Laura's face softened. "You have chosen well, my king. You will be purified and then the wedding will be performed. The drug will wear out of your body, and the death of the Creature of Darkness will remove the last impurity from you."

They led David away. "Can't I at least say goodbye to him?"

"Soon you will not care for him."

They left. Fire hid Laura's face. Only Hallie remained, the fire dying in her hands.

"You have been spared a painful death, of Creature of Darkness. Be grateful, then, to the Mistress, for her great Mercy.

"Hallie, why are you doing this? Don't you know what Laura is?"

"She is a Creature of Light. And you are a Creature of Darkness. She is light, warmth, life, all that is good. You are darkness, cold, death. You are evil and should be destroyed.

"Laura is evil" he indicated Old Munsungan by his side. "Why should he suffer?"

"He allied himself with the Power of Darkness. Only by fire can he be purified."

A shiver ran through Barnabas' spine. For a moment the thought he saw Trask's eyes in her...but now, they were familiar, but they were not his.

Still... it was the same reasoning. They did not burn witches in New England, only hanged them. Still, there were fires aplenty in the history of Christianity. Had the Inquisition and others secretly worshipped Laura, believing it was the True God they served? Had Laura disguised herself as the Virgin Mary to them, advocating purification by fire of heretics and others?

"Hallie" he said, solemnly, not sure if the was arguing for his freedom, or making his last statement. "It is true that I am of Darkness, and that she is of Light. But it is not true that Light and Warmth are always Life. Back in the hot countries, where Laura came from, the sun kills as much as it gives life, drying the earth and burning it until it becomes as white as dried bone. Darkness and cold bring relief. There is Death in Creatures of Light, too, Hallie."

"There is Death in Creatures of Darkness! I know it! I have felt myself the death you dealt!" her hands covered her face, then pulled away. "Do you recognize me, Barnabas Collins?"

He did.

"You!"

"Yes. I bet you don't even remember my name. It was Maude Browning. You strangled me and drank my blood..

Barnabas lowered his head.

"As your fingers crushed my throat, at the fear mounted in me, as the life escaped out of my body, I swore that one day I would make you suffer for this. This is why I was allowed to return to Earth, to aid Laura in her destruction of you."

"Hallie, you are wrong. There are laws governing rebirth and..."

"Laws which you sought to escape by becoming a Creature of Darkness. I know you and I know Laura. She gives, you take away."

"What about your Uncle, Eliot?"

"What about him?" Hallie pretended indifference, but her paleness told Barnabas that he had guessed right.

"Laura had nothing to do with his death!" Hallie shouted fiercely.

"You know better."

"He has earned himself a higher rebirth! He and his wife!" angrily she turned her back to him and walked away.

Harry Redwolf was there, looking haggard. "I am sorry, Barnabas, that it has to be this way." he muttered. "I promise that it will be quick, for both you and the old man. I shall myself fire the arrows."

"Harry" Barnabas tried to reach him. "she is..."

"Don't try to say anything, or I'll have you gagged still."

He turned his back on Barnabas and walked away. Now Barnabas was alone next to the unconscious Munsungan, tied to the same funeral pyre.

He had failed. David was lost. What would happen to Julia, Willie, Louella, Oriana, Frances... Maybe Angelique could protect them.

Would Laura keep her word? Or would he burn? How much would it hurt to burn? The agony in Priscilla's face was etched in him.

Panic seized him. He fought it down. He had a few hours left. He should be able to find a plan of escape by then.

But now? With the arrow still in his flesh? With David bound and under guard?

* * *

Angelique felt uneasy. Something was happening tonight. Something that shouldn't.

She could not figure out what that could be. Maybe it was another one of Laura's tricks, trying to discourage her.

She wondered if she would have been able to resist those tricks so well without the strength that Megan had given her. Megan was a bit run down these last days, recovering from the draining that Angelique had done when escaping the trap that Torrance and Davenport had laid down for her. Well, she hoped not to have to tap her again for a few more days until she recovered fully..

...There was a man's face hovering in the air...

"She sent you? didn't she? " she made the water sign and waited until it vanished.

But it did not vanish, it became more solid and defined. This was no salamander...

"Barnabas and David have been captured. They are at the Indian tribe. You must hurry to rescue them." Peter Guthrie said.

* * *

Barnabas could not keep the fear from climbing through him. No matter how he tried to push it out of his mind, he kept thinking that Laura might yet burn him alive, and the thought was a tight vise crushing his insides.

Redwolf stood immobile, his back to Barnabas. It wasn't right, he thought. Barnabas did not deserve this. But what else could he do? There was a price to pay for what he wanted.

He couldn't look at Barnabas now. Yet he would have to, when he fired the fatal arrow.

At least he could soothe his conscience about that. The arrow would prevent a far worse death.

Then Laura would claim her mate. And her child.

It was wrong what he was doing. Mother and child. Lovers. And death to the one who had dared stop this abomination.

Yet, all that power... What Laura had promised him. What had already come to pass. Could he throw it away? After all, Barnabas was only a white man. So was David.

The arrow in his arm sent a shiver of pain through Barnabas. It was not much, but he still reacted to it.

It was only after two more stabs of pain that he realized that the arrow was being pulled from his wound.

He turned his face with surprise to meet Guthrie's eyes.

"Once this is out, will you be able to break your bonds and escape?" Guthrie asked him.

Barnabas tested the thongs binding his wrists "Yes" he said. "I can fly away without problems. But Munsungan..."

"Don't worry about him." Guthrie extricated the arrow from Barnabas' flesh and left it pining only cloth "Angelique is here. She makes it possible for me to do this without anyone seeing it. Don't move until David is brought forward."

Guthrie vanished and Barnabas felt the strength return to him. The wound still hurt, but the weakness was disappearing fast.

Munsungan moaned and opened his eyes. He looked around, as if confused and fixed his gaze on Barnabas.

"You...you came...they laid a trap for you..."

"Don't worry." Barnabas said "We'll pull out of this yet."

David waited, his back against a tree. He felt the drug wearing off his body. He felt the tears flow over his cheeks.

He could not wipe them off, his hands being bound behind him. He did not want to. He was mourning Barnabas, and Julia, and Willie, and everyone who tried to help him and now die because of it.

Why had he been born? To destroy those who cared for him? Maybe his father had been right in rejecting him. If Barnabas had been as smart as his father, he would not be bound to that tree, waiting to burn.

It wasn't fair. Not Barnabas. Not this way. Not without even a chance to say goodbye to him, to tell him how much he loved him, to tell him how sorry he was for all the trouble he had caused. Not without a chance to beg for his forgiveness.

He was not aware of the tugging at his bonds. Only when his hand was opened and something was placed on his palm did he realize what had happened.

"Don't move" Guthrie said to him. "they can't see me. Only you can."

David blinked. That was all the movement he dared to make.

"I have taken care of your cousin, too. He'll be able to break free and take you to safety." Guthrie spoke softly. "He's a real MENSCH. He might not be properly a man, but he is a _mensch_.

David blinked again.

"Now, here is what you have to do."


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Time moved slowly. What would happen if they noticed that the arrow wasn't where it should be? They had many more arrows and they could shoot them before he got away. The wound in his arm, while still healing, incapacitated him somewhat. He tested his bonds. They would break easily and once he did that, he would just turn to mist, safe from any arrows, whether or not they had Laura's sign on them.

Munsungan was the problem. Getting him away would not be so easy. He would have to carry him, and the old man would make an easy target.

He began to get impatient. He knew that the longer the wait, the more his wound would heal and he'd be in better shape for whatever needed doing. Still it was hard to keep on waiting, to keep his hands behind him when he knew that the thongs binding them could be snapped off so easily.;

He wondered what else Guthrie had done. He knew that getting away would take excellent coordination and he didn't have the information he needed for it.

On the other hand, Guthrie knew who the enemy was and what was needed. Even if he didn't make it, David would get away.

But Laura could still claim him, for David had pledged himself to her, even if reluctantly, She had laid claim to Priscilla through deception, Once pledged, she had power over them.

Barnabas vowed that he would never rest until Laura was defeated and David was free. David and Priscilla. And Louella. And the rest of the salamanders... including Dirk.

He was aware too, of the hunger in him. He had not fed in his hurry to come with David to what Munsungan had promised him. His pain and weakness that made him forget about it, but his returning strength made his need grow in him.

He hoped that he would remain in control. They could not lose any time in their escape. A split second might make all the difference. If the temptation to help himself to an available throat became to strong, that might be the difference needed to fail...

"Are you ready?" Guthrie asked him.

"Yes. What do I do? I hope that it won't be too long."

"You must not be impatient."

"I am hungry. I am afraid of my hunger betraying all of us."

Guthrie smiled lopsidedly "Yes, the problem of what you are."

"It isn't usually much of a problem." Barnabas said defensively "but this time it is special"

"I know. I will not make the same mistake twice. I was wrong about you. I was wrong about the nature of the threat to all of you. I was, let's say, out of touch with your concerns."

"There were not your concerns any more. And Laura seemed to have been defeated."

"Yes. But not for long. Now I will help you."

* * *

Something was happening where David was being held. Barnabas understood that David was being prepared for the marriage ceremony. Quickly he closed his fists and twisted his wrists. The thong snapped and it dropped to the ground behind him.

A drop of water fell of his forehead. Rain? But then, if Angelique was protecting them...

Hallie led a march, a torch in each hand. Behind her walked Redwolf, carrying a bow and two arrows. Only two of them. He came as the executioner, maybe in his mind telling himself that his office was one of mercy.

More raindrops fell. There was an angry hiss from Laura as some of them reached the flame that enveloped her. Barnabas didn't wait. He turned to mist and moved towards David.

"He's escaping!" Hallie shouted "Catch him! catch him!"

He floated weightless among them. Let them try to find him, let them try to catch him now.

Then Hallie lifted her torch and walked towards Munsungan, ready to set fire to the wood piled around him.

Knowing that that was what she wanted, Barnabas turned to bat and knocked the torch from her hand, making it fall away from the pyre. He attacked her other hand, to make her release the other torch.

She caught him with her free hand and dug her fingernails into his fur. The fire burned through him as she did so and the pain almost made him release her, but he didn't. He bit angrily into the flesh of her hand until she let go of him. Then he went back for her remaining torch, and forced her to release it. He changed shaped quickly enough to grab it and throw it away, before turning into mist again. Then back to a bat, harassing her until she was forced to back down.

David felt the hands holding him slacken. They were now too busy to guard him as they should.

He rolled away, dropped the cord that he had been holding to make them think that his hands were still tied and brought his hands forward with the gun in them.

"You move and I'll blow my brains out!" he shouted.

Barnabas materialized next to Munsungan and broke his bindings.

"Barnabas!" Redwolf called behind him.

Redwolf had turned his back to Laura and David.

"Let me have the old man and I'll help you get away."

"Harry" Barnabas turned to him. "you can't do it."

They stared at each other, Redwolf defiantly, Barnabas with pity. Then Barnabas stared hard and Harry was caught in his eyes. It had been a while since Barnabas hypnotized someone this way, that he had needed to, but he could still do it.

More water fell on them. It was robbing Laura of her power as it fell.

Barnabas finished releasing Munsungan and carried him on his shoulder. David moved towards him, the gun still pressed to his temple.

"If I pull the trigger I will not be of any use to you." David said to them.

Redwolf did not move as Barnabas passed him with Munsungan in his arms. Munsungan did not react. He was unconscious again. Kenneth should take a look at him.

"David" Laura pleaded from the fire "don't do that. Don't reject me my son. I am your mother."

"I can't join you."

"I love you David. I need you." from the fire Laura extended her arms "You are my son. You are my great-grandson. The phoenix blood is strong in you. You can have so much. What can he give you? A few years of life, growing old and feeble, and then death. Is that what you want?"

"That's what I want... mother." David spoke as he and Barnabas moved back towards the car, He made "mother" sound like an obscenity.

They made the way to the car, where they found Angelique waiting for them.

"Thank you." Barnabas said. "It was you who brought the rain, wasn't it?"

"Yes. It wasn't much, but it weakened Laura enough."

Munsungan moaned as Barnabas laid him on the back seat and covered him with his coat. "He needs medical attention" Barnabas said "But I don't dare take him to the hospital. Laura can get to anyone... I hope that Kenneth can help him."

"David! David!" Laura shouted "Come back!"

David gritted and pressed the muzzle of his gun against his forehead.

"Barnabas" he said. "I pledged myself to her. Will I still be able to go inside the house again?"

"How willing were you?" Angelique asked.

"I did it because if I didn't, she would have burned Barnabas alive."

"It was not willing, then. It was extracted by threats. It is not binding enough."

"But if it was not binding, why make me do it?"

"Because if you believed it was binding, you'd despair of getting away, and would follow her."

"David! David!" Laura's voice followed them "My son! My son!"

* * *

"There weren't enough of us here, Kenneth grumbled and you bring this man here. He should be in the hospital"

"You are a doctor, aren't you?"

"And this is your version of house calls." Kenneth said while taking Munsungan's pulse. "bring the patient to the doctor. Don't you know that you should not move accident victims?"

"I had to move him. They had tied him to be burned alive. I wish I could take him to the hospital, but I don't dare. Do what you can for him, and if you need supplies, give me the list."

"Well," Kenneth lifted Munsungan's eyelid "luckily I won't have to operate on the kitchen table."

Barnabas went to Oriana "Will he get well?" Oriana asked.

"Yes, he will."

"Will he be able to talk?"

"Why? You still want him to give you an interview?"

"Well.." Oriana could not deny it.

"You'll have to wait until Kenneth says that it is all right. Don't badger Kenneth, or he'll let you have it."

Frances came to him. "Are you all right?" she said putting her arms around him.

"Yes. I am all right. You should not worry about me."

"They almost burned you."

"But they didn't" he disengaged himself "take care of the old man. He needs your help now."

He moved away from all of them, and stood against a window, looking out into the night.

Snow was falling., very thin and delicate, almost invisible. He watched it trying to gain some calm from its cold beauty.

Finally Willie approached him. "Barnabas" he said "is anything wrong?"

Barnabas nodded "Priscilla. She is in pain. Laura is punishing her. I keep thinking about her, what she is now going through. Laura could have burned me, but it would have ended..."

Willie put his hand on Barnabas' arm "don't blame yourself."

"I have to. She was my wife. If I had treated her properly she would not have turned to Laura for help. She hates me."

"Laura?"

"Priscilla. and with good reason. The way I behaved with her was inexcusable. I didn't even want to remember her. I was glad to be rid of her."

Willie recognized the signs. Barnabas was lost in self-recrimination.

"You were quite a stinker in those day, went' you?"

Barnabas nodded. "Yes."

"I am glad that I didn't meet you then."

"It was hard enough for you as it was."

"But worth it."

"When I think of the things I used to do I get sick. How could anyone do that? I think of them and I get angry. I want to do something about them. I want to kill the one who did those things."

"You did it. You killed him and took his place."

Barnabas smiled sadly "Nice try, Willie, but it will not work."

"It happened that way. How else can you explain it? Would that stinker have dived into a cross of fire to rescue me? I was nothing by his standards. Would that stinker have cared for Phillip Todd the way you did? Would Guthrie have called that stinker a _mensch_?"

Barnabas was silent for a while, then spoke again, "She is still in pain."

"You'll find a way to set her free. Guthrie can help you there."

Barnabas put his arm around Willie's shoulders. "Willie, have I ever told you how wonderful you are?"

"Several times" he gave Barnabas a friendly tap on the shoulder. "We have seen worse than this, you and I, and we have survived. We will survive this yet."


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

"Well, David." Julia said "Do you really think that you will remember it?"

"I am not afraid of my mother now. I know what she is, and what she wants. And this time I do want to remember."

"Yes, you did not want to confront what she was and what she wanted.."

"Now I do. I am very angry. That she could threaten Barnabas as she did, saying that she would burn him alive if I did not do what she said... I hated myself, too. I was the one doing that to him...

Julia understood. Laura had been a thorn on David's side, a burden made worse by the inability to tell anyone about it. Only last night had David been able to see her a separate from himself.

"She said that I was too of phoenix blood. I could be like her, if I chose...Julia, can anyone choose to be human or not?"

"It can be a choice."

"Did I tell you that Guthrie called Barnabas a _mensch_?"

"Yes, you told us as soon a you got here. I wonder how a WASP like Guthrie could know the term. Oh, well, you don't need to be Jewish to know certain Yiddish expressions.

"He said that while Barnabas could not be properly human, but that he was a _mensch_."

"He was right."

"Maybe, even if I am not fully human myself, even if I am more than half phoenix, I can still be human enough."

"That's the idea, kid."

* * *

Frank sobbed quietly in his cell. She would not come back. He had failed, as Buffy had failed, and like Buffy, he had been abandoned...

But She had not abandoned Hallie. Why was that? Because she was still free and could carry on the work? Or because there was something different about her? Something that Laura wanted from her.?

Redwolf and Brant were still free, still carrying on Laura's work. He was useless to her now...

George looked at him neutrally. He was nothing now. A casualty, no more.

Frank knew anger. George Brant had that look in his eyes... he had a salamander in his bed, plying him with erotic tricks that mere mortals were unaware of. And he now despised him, Frank Torrance.

"Just wait, George Brant" he muttered. Wait until you fail. Then you'll see that all you have in your hands is ashes.

George shrugged and left him. He had no patience with losers. And, anyway, he had to do. He had promised something to Dirk, and he would do it.

For that he needed Zeb King. Maybe Zeb would cooperate with him willingly. Maybe not. It did not matter.

* * *

Delia was soaking on the bath, letting her daily cares soak away, and getting her thoughts in order.

Next to her lay the whip, coiled around her wrist...

She had had it with Derek. He was just not worth it. Certainly no worth giving up her bedroom games for. He had used her, getting free room and board, and what had he given her in return?

She was better off without him... And she was better off with the whip.

* * *

"Go back, David, go back."

David rolled his head in this trance. His eyes were glazed and some saliva reached his chin.

"He's really under, isn't he?" Barnabas asked.

"Yes." Julia growled "I have everything under control. If you want to do something useful go to Old Munsungan and make sure that Oriana is not tiring him with that interview of hers."

Barnabas nodded. When Julia was right, she was right. At least now David was going further and further into the past, now that he had defied his mother.

"I hope that this is the end of his troubles." Barnabas looked at him with affection "we fought for him so many times, didn't we, Julia?"

"Yes." she said gruffly. "Now go and let me do my job."

This time Barnabas went away. He'd better check on Oriana. she was now finally getting that interview she had been waiting for since last year.

"The box" David said.

"What box?"

"Laura's box. Where she keeps the hearts. The hearts of those who gave themselves to her. It is a large box. She has it with her at all times... she makes it invisible, but I saw it."

David's voice strengthened. Under Julia's prodding he had gone back to that time when he had watched his mother take out the box.

...She had opened it and taken out a heart. A palpitating human heart, which she held in her hand.

"Do my will, Priscilla" she had said.

The heart had expanded and contracted in her hand.

"Do my will, or you'll be punished" Laura said with menace.

David watched her, fascinated. Those were not jewels... None of those creams and powders that she put on her face. And why did she speak to that red thing?

Laura turned and saw him. There was a bit of surprise in her eyes, then understanding.

"Of course, you saw." she said, calmly. "there is phoenix blood in you, so it cannot be hidden from you.. Come here, son."

David went to her.

"This is your heritage. Your birthright. But the time has not come for you to learn of it. You understand?"

David had not understood, but nodded nevertheless.

"This is why you must forget this." Laura touched his forehead "that's why your eyes must remain blind a little longer.

Mist formed over David's eyes. He blinked.

And now Laura was powdering her face... had been powdering her face all along...

"Did you see her open and close the box?"

"Yes."

"How did she do it?"

"She said some words." David repeated them. They were almost unintelligible sounds. Julia guessed that they were Ancient Egyptian. Or Mesopotamian. Or Phoenician if she was in her Moloch aspect...

Julia wrote them down, after David repeated them several times.

"Maybe this will be the key."

* * *

Zeb looked at George with surprise.

"Why should I sign a murder complaint? Why now? I thought that that was over."

"You know that they are both guilty, and that I can prove it."

"I also know that Uncle Dave told me to let them go. I pistol-whipped him and that should be enough."

"By whose standards?"

"Mine and Uncle Dave's"

There was a stubbornness in Zeb that reached George. Dave too had been stubborn.

He wondered if Dirk, or any of the girls could help change Zeb's mind.

Yet Zeb made him angry. He could not understand why. He felt himself to be at fault. Made him feel like a traitor. Zeb looked at him with accusing eyes, and it was Dave's eyes that he saw.

His hand closed in on the butt of the gun. Zeb had no business making him feel like that.

No arguments, no Dirk. A good beating should be enough.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Zeb moaned in pain. He could hardly see through his bruised eyelids. His lip was bleeding and one of his fingers had been broken.

Yet he would not have given Brant what he wanted if it had not been for Jess...

She had screamed. Not hard. She had tried to stifle her screams. But he knew that Brant was beating her.

So he had given the statement and now he was lying down in the cell. Jessica was holding his hands and trying to comfort him.

"It will be all right." she tried to reassure him.

"It won't be." he said "Brant did want that statement real bad. The way he wanted it, it must not be for something good."

In the next cell Frank got up and propped himself against the bars.

"Did you sell yourself to the bitch?" he asked.

Jessica turned. "Who?"

"Laura. I don't know her last name, if she has one. She promises you the sun, the moon, and the stars. but fail her once and she'll throw you away. Except that you are not free anymore." he sobbed.

"I don't understand what you are saying."

"Just you wait, George Brant. He thinks he's got it made because he has a salamander in his bed who promises to love him forever. One day he will feel what I feel now."

Jessica shook her head, trying to make sense of what she heard.

"I guess you don't know what I am talking about., eh? Count your blessings if you don't know her."

* * *

Guthrie stood in front of him. "You know what you have to do?" he asked.

Barnabas nodded "Follow her. Find her box. Force it open and free the hearts imprisoned in it."

"Then rip off _her_ heart and lock it in the box.

"Yes." that part made him uneasy. Could he tear out a heart with his bare hands? He understood that neither Laura nor him would be in their physical bodies, that it would not be real heart...

"I will be with you there." Guthrie said. "this fight is also my fight."

Old Munsungan sat on the bed. He was still physically weak, but his eyes were alert and then power was still in him.

Barnabas knelt down in front of him.

"You want this done?" Munsungan asked.

"I do." Barnabas said, closing his eyes.

He felt the hand touch his forehead, then felt himself to be weightless.

He opened his eyes. It was mists all around him.

But Guthrie was with him. And there was somebody else.

"Yes, it is me, Barnabas." Rachel said, stepping forward. "And there are more with us. You will not fight alone."

* * *

Alma was there. So was Xavier. There were others with them. Not all of them were Laura's followers. There were those who did not like Barnabas and would enjoy seeing him being led away in handcuffs, if not worse.

"How come Zeb King isn't here?" one of them asked. "After all, it was his uncle."

"He has his reasons." George said. "But he gave me this statement."

He checked his gun. Silver bullets. He had no intention to taking Barnabas or Julia alive.

* * *

The mists took on some flashes of brightness, now wholly real, et, but the threat of them was underneath, all right.

"We must be getting closer." Barnabas muttered.

Dirk Wilkins jumped in front of them, blazing angrily.

"Stop!" he shouted at them "Go no further!"

"Let us pass, Dirk" Barnabas said. "for your own sake."

"You must not go near her." Dirk answered. "It is not allowed."

He burst in flame, seeming to grow huge.

"Your fire cannot touch us." Rachel said and moved forward " but we can stop you."

She threw her arms around Dirk, forcing him to shrink as they stood there, immobile.

They pushed at each other, unable to move in either direction.

"Let's go" Guthrie said.

Barnabas looked at Rachel. She did not move. She was as immobilized as Dirk.

"They will stay that way until we fail or succeed." Guthrie said. "Let's go."

* * *

They were around the house, carrying torches, guns, ropes. George Brant led them.

"I have here a warrant for the arrest of both Julia Hoffman and Barnabas Collins on suspicion of murder" he announced at the door.

Julia shook as this voice. She knew what the charge was. She looked at Kenneth. He would now find out what it was that she had kept secret from him.

"Laura got him, evidently" Kenneth said "she knows how dangerous you and Barnabas are to her.."

"Give yourselves up." George said. "come outside with your hands over your heads."

Willie looked at Barnabas, deep in his trance. "We can't interrupt him. We have to buy him time for what he has to do."

* * *

There were fewer of them, as more salamanders appeared and both caught the invaders and were caught by them, in that mutually immobilizing embrace.

"Laura's vulnerable" Guthrie explained. "those who died by her actions without giving themselves to her are as numerous as those claimed for her own. Someone like you was needed to tip the balance."

Barnabas nodded, as the glow hurt his eyes. For one moment he knew panic a s it looked to him like the dawn, but then the fear was gone. He was not in his physical body here. Neither was Laura.

The glow brightened, burned the air.

"It is too strong for your eyes, isn't it? You cannot look at me, Barnabas. you are of Darkness and I am of Light."

It was true. His eyelids closed, trying desperately to protect his eyes.

"She cannot hurt you." Guthrie said. "remember that."

Laura looked at him with hatred "I thought I was done with you."

"You re not. And today your power ends."

Laura extended her hand. At her fingertips danced Priscilla, still caught in the flame that burned her.

"Well, my treacherous one. Your punishment is over. Stop them."

With a whimper, Priscilla slid from Laura's fingers and moved towards them.

"Barnabas" she said, in a plaintive voice.

Barnabas half turned towards her.

"I have her." Guthrie said. "don't come here."

Priscilla whimpered once more.

"It is all right, Priscilla" Guthrie said. "she can't hurt you anymore."

Laura laughed.

"It is up to you and me. A blinded vampire against the Lady of the Fire. You will not last long against me."

* * *

"Lie down! Everybody lie down!" Willie shouted, a gun in his hand. "You too!" he said to David.

"No. I have to be up front. They won't dare shoot at me. They can't risk killing me."

"Are you going to come out at all?" George shouted. "Do yourselves a favor Get out of that house. Why should the rest of you pay for two murderers?"

Julia bit her lip. How much longer until George told the rest of it?

"What are they that you risk your lives for them?" George shouted. "Barnabas isn't human. Julia is the kind of woman who would kill an old friend in cold blood. She did. She poisoned Dr. David Woodard to protect that thing in there."

Kenneth looked at Julia. Her face was drained. She as about to cry...

Willie pulled the trigger.

* * *

She laughed at him as he groped at her blindly. He had no idea where she was nor what he could do.

"Did you really think you could best me? I am thousands of years older than you and I have defeated more formidable enemies. You will remain here, trapped within my power. Your body will burn with the dawn and you will be reborn to serve me. I will claim my son and lock your heart with the others."

He tried to force his eyes open. It was painful, so painful.

."...She cannot hurt you here." Guthrie had said..

He thought of David, of Willie, of Louella, of Julia. Of all who depended on him.

He forced his eyes open and saw Laura, her hand on the box.

* * *

Willie bit his lip. They kept coming. And shooting. He only had a few bullets. They had so many...

He could not keep them away. He could not shoot to kill, either. All he could do was give Barnabas some time.

One of them was getting closer with a torch. Willie took aim to knock it off his hand.

He heard the shots. He felt the pain, and knew that he had fallen down...

* * *

He held now Laura in his arms. She kept slipping out of them and burning him. Yet he somehow kept hold of her.

He was alone now. Everything depended on him and he would not have another chance.

They struggled. She was stronger than he was. Older, wiser. Yet, somehow he would find a way.

He struck at her chest with all his strength. His hand was on fire and the pain climbed through him. He pushed his hand further, knowing that he was, indeed, going to rip her heart out.

She made him burn. He did not know his body anymore. It was only pain interconnecting itself, moving as he moved. He had no hands. just charred flesh. yet somehow his fingers kept digging and digging, seeking her heart.

Then the pain stopped and he saw himself holding the beating heart in his hand.

* * *

They had seized Kenneth, Oriana, Frances, David, and Louella. They were tying Julia's hands and were fashioning a noose around her neck.

And now George walked towards Barnabas, gun in hand, ready to shoot the man who had spurned his love.

* * *

The box opened as he spoke the words. The hearts beat inside it, and smoke rose out of them. It was the will of those held prisoner there...

* * *

George's hand dropped. What was he doing here? He couldn't understand. Why was he aiming a gun at Barnabas?

He turned and saw Willie on the ground, bleeding.

* * *

He held their hearts in his hands. He had imprisoned Laura's in the box and locked it, as David had told him to do.

They stood in front of him, now. The salamanders, men and women looked hungrily and incredulously at their deliverer. Behind them, Guthrie, Rachel, and his other allies smiled.

"One at a time" he could not think of anything else to say.

He did not know most of them. They just extended their hands, took their hearts, pushed them against their chest, and vanished with a smile.

"Peace be with you." they all said to him, one by one.

Then it was Dirk. He seemed somewhat abashed to see who had delivered him. Barnabas smiled encouragingly at him.

"Go in peace, Dirk" he said to him.

Dirk pressed the heart to himself.

"Peace be with you, Barnabas." he answered before vanishing.

Only Priscilla was left.

"You are free, Priscilla."

Priscilla extended her hand to receive her hear, but he did not give it to her yet. "Priscilla, before you go, I want you to know that I am sorry I brought you to this."

"I know you are." Priscilla sounded peaceful now.

"I wish I could make it up to your."

"There is no need. Peace be with you, Barnabas."

She pressed her heart to her chest. "Free!" she shouted. "Free at last!"


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Willie laid on the bed, hoses and bottles all around him, a beeping signal by his side was the only sign that he was still alive.

Barnabas turned to Kenneth "What are his chances?"

"Better than they were about fifteen minutes ago."

Barnabas closed his eyes in anguish. The nightmare scene came back to him. He had returned to his body, anticipating a joyous reunion, only to find Julia with the noose still around her neck, having escaped lynching by a few seconds. To find Willie bleeding on the ground, with Kenneth trying to patch him up. George trying to help Kenneth...

Willie in a pool of his own blood, barely breathing...

"Five bullets?" he asked numbly.

"That's how many I took out of him."

Five bullets inside Willie's body... the last time there had been five bullets in Willie's body he had survived...

He had survived in spite of Barnabas wanting him dead. And now, that he desperately wanted Willie to live, would he get his fourteen years old wish?"

He touched Willie's forehead. "Willie?" he asked numbly.

"Don't touch him" Kenneth grumbled. "You might disturb something."

Barnabas looked up at Kenneth. There was more to his harshness than concern for Willie.

"Why don't you go someplace else? You are in the way, here. If anything happens, I'll let you know."

Barnabas tried to protest, but there was no point to it. He could not help Willie now. Only Kenneth could. He looked at Willie again, trying to tell himself that Willie would live, that there was a slight improvement in him...

Julia and George were in the waiting room. George was weeping silently in spite of Julia's efforts to comfort him.

"Louella..." Barnabas asked.

"She's resting." Julia said. "we gave her a sedative. She did not want to, but we told her that she had to rest for the baby's sake. That if there was any change in Willie, we'd let her know."

George sobbed, lifted himself up, pulled the badge from his shirt and threw it away.

"George!" Julia reproved him.

"Let him." Barnabas said dully "he needs a melodramatic gesture. It won't help any, but he has to make it." he moved closer to George. "I know that you are hurting." he said in a somewhat strained voice. " but I can't help you. I want to, but I can't. I need someone to help me, George. It know that it wasn't your fault, but still Willie is dying and part of me is saying that I would feel better if I put my hands around your neck and strangled you... Do not get too close to me, because I might lose my head."

George accepted this without protest and moved away, looking miserable.

"But if you really want to do something." Barnabas called after him. "try to talk to Kenneth. I think that he found out what we have been keeping secret from him, and he might take it out on Julia."

"Yes. he does know. I shouted the charges again and again. If only I could take them back..."

"You can't. But maybe you can make Kenneth understand."

"I will try."

"Thanks. I wish I could help you more."

* * *

It took so long. There were no news of Willie. At least that meant that he was still alive.

Dawn was a couple of hours away. He did not wish for it to come before he got word on Willie. He dreaded the dreams that would come to him if he did not know. He dreaded even more waking up to hear that Willie had died during the day...

Willie... he had been with him since the beginning... He had been the beginning, the hands that had set him free and given him a second chance...

They had shared so much... no one had before gotten so close to him, not even Jeremiah...

And now, it only took five bullets...

He kept returning to the five bullets. Just like the last time when Willie had been shot in Patterson's trap. That time Willie had pulled through. Would he pull through again? The cold fear was in him. It had been such a close thing, then. Could have so easily gone the other way...

And he had wanted Willie dead. Had actually ordered Julia to make sure that Willie didn't live. But the miracle that he had not wanted had happened.

And what if the miracle had run out? What if Willie had to die?

No. not now. His wife was going to have a baby. That child should have a father.

Yet it could happen so easily.

He had begun to shake and moan. He was aware of Oriana trying to comfort him, but he could not respond. He could hardly acknowledge her presence. His consciousness was filled with the dreadful knowledge that today might be Willie's last day on life.

Willie... his oldest, closest friend, lying there, his life hanging by a thread, depending on the skill of the surgeon... Kenneth was a good surgeon.

And Kenneth knew now Julia's shame. What would he do? His shoulders slumped... No, not that too. It was over, wasn't it? Had he been pistol-whipped for nothing? Was he going to lose Julia, too?

"Do you wish me to help you in any way?" Trask asked him gently.

Barnabas lifted his eyes to him "Pray for Willie" he said hoarsely "he needs it. He is dying and his wife is six months pregnant, and he's too young...and...and...

Trask took his hands. "Do you wish to pray for him?"

"I can't! You know that!"

"Do you want to try?"

"In don't know what value it might have. Someone like me, I mean."

"It might work."

"No, it wouldn't" he sobbed "Five bullets, Reverend. Just like last time. Do you know what happened last time?"

"I have some idea."

Barnabas looked down. "Reverend, would you listen to my confession?"

"I will."

Barnabas went down to his knees. "Pray for me, Reverend, for I brought Willie to this."

He told it, numbly. From the moment the coffin lid had been opened and he had seen Willie's face for the first time. He told of Maggie and how she had been driven mad. How Julia had come into his life. The return of Maggie, Patterson's trap, Willie being shot..."

"Julia and Willie. I love them more than I love myself. And I hurt them more than it could be possible."

Trask laid a hand on his shoulder. "This is 1981, not 1967. You weren't trying to harm Willie nor anyone else. You were protecting his wife and child, and others with them. And you did it. You set many free from an evil that would have destroyed them."

Barnabas whimpered, not believing Trask's words.

"I have heard several confessions today. George Brant's, Frank Torrance's', Xavier Davenport's. I know what kind of evil would have claimed them if it had not been for you.

Barnabas whimpered again. Arguments would be useless against. that anguish, so he just placed his hand over Barnabas' head.

"I forgive you. Barnabas Collins. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."

Barnabas shivered "Pray for Willie, Reverend." he repeated "pray for him that I can't. Pray that he sees his child grow up."

They stood there, Trask praying and Barnabas weeping until Kenneth stepped in.

"He's going to make it." Kenneth said, a bit coldly "He will be in the critical list for a while, but he very likely will make it."

"He will? Is he going to live?"

"He has a good chance."

Barnabas began to weep noisily with relief.

Kenneth looked away, slightly embarrassed. He still heard Brant's accusations, still knew that Julia had not tried to deny them. How could he accept that in her? Or in him? Still he found it difficult to reject Barnabas. What about Julia?

"You care about Willie, don't you?"

"Yes."

Kenneth sighed deeply. It seemed cruel to ask about it now, yet he knew that he had to hear about it. If there was a decision to make, he wanted to make it now.

Knowing that Kenneth wished to speak to Barnabas alone, Trask left them. Kenneth waited until Barnabas had somehow calmed down.

"Do you know that Sheriff Brant charged you and Julia with murder?"

Barnabas nodded.

"I understand that that creature could make people do anything. Still, he said that it was Zeb's uncle and it alls up with all the rest. The way that Julia used to act in his presence. Her nervous breakdown. The way she kept secrets from me." he waited for few moments before asking the next question. "It is true, isn't it?"

Barnabas stared at him dully. "If it was, what would you do with Julia?"

"I don't know. It is not an easy thing to overlook. It is murder, after all, if it is true."

"She's suffered enough for it. Don't hurt her anymore."

"It is true, then? I had hoped it was not."

"Don't hurt her." Barnabas pleaded again.

"Who was the man? The surgeon who pulled Willie through the first time?"

"Yes." Barnabas' head dropped.

"Julia's friend." Kenneth continued mercilessly "King's uncle."

He stepped back from Barnabas, disgust in his face.

"Kenneth, she's paid for it. It is over for her. Let it be."

Kenneth shook his head implacably "There are things that I cannot accept." he said, coldly.

He turned around and left. Barnabas looked at him go. He remained alone, trying to understand what would happen now.

Then David was with him. "Barnabas?" he asked.

"Yes, David.." there was no fight in him now.

David shook Barnabas. "What is the matter with you? Didn't you hear me? Willie's going to live! We made it! We are going to be all right, all of us!"

"Not all of us. Julia... Kenneth found out..."

"About Woodard?"

Barnabas stared at him. "You know?"

"I guessed it, more or less. But no one was paying attention to what I was saying, and Sarah was gone and... Don't think of it, Barnabas, it is over."

"Kenneth will not forgive Julia."

"He will. Barnabas, you just saved me and Louella. You ended my... mother's reign of terror. You set Priscilla and the others free. And Willie's going to get well. Isn't that enough for today? Why not go out and celebrate?"

He helped Barnabas out. He knew Barnabas' strength and his weakness now was more shocking because of it.

"You gave me the rest of my life." he insisted "you saved Louella and her child. Willie will live. And if he had died, it would have been defending his wife and child. Don't blame yourself. You did well, and I am glad to be related to you. As for Kenneth, he will come around."

Barnabas put his arm around David's shoulder. "You are a good boy, David."

"Man, Barnabas. I grew up." David laughed at this "You have taken care of me for quite a while. Now you have to let me take care of you. You did well today and we are going to celebrate it."


End file.
